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Reflected back at me, I seem to have on enormous gilded pantaloons, visible only to me. Kids play in a rock pool pretending to be ocean creatures, meanwhile in the next room sits a chatting legume in a showcase, alongside a tall stack of cushions. It represents the universe of Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), among the 19th century’s most beloved authors. I find myself in this Danish town, on the island of the island of Fyn in the south of the Danish kingdom, to investigate Andersen’s lasting influence in his home town many decades after his passing, and to experience a few fairytales of my own.

The Museum: H.C. Andersen's House

Andersen's House is the town's exhibition space honoring the storyteller, incorporating his childhood house. An expert explains that in earlier iterations of the museum there was scant attention on Andersen’s stories. The writer’s life was examined, but Thumbelina were absent. For guests who visit the city in search of storytelling magic, it was not quite enough.

The redevelopment of the city center, redirecting a major road, created the chance to rethink how the renowned native could be celebrated. A prestigious architectural challenge granted the Japanese company the Kengo Kuma team the contract, with the innovative curatorial vision at the center of the design. The remarkable wooden museum with interlinked spiralling spaces opened to much acclaim in 2021. “We’ve tried to create a space where we avoid discussing Andersen, but we communicate similarly to Andersen: with wit, irony and outlook,” explains the expert. Even the gardens follow this philosophy: “This is a landscape for strollers and for giants, it’s designed to create a feeling of diminutiveness,” he explains, an objective realized by thoughtful gardening, manipulating height, proportion and multiple meandering routes in a unexpectedly limited space.

The Writer's Legacy

He authored two and a half memoirs and often provided conflicting accounts. The exhibition takes this approach fully; typically the views of his friends or excerpts of correspondence are displayed to subtly challenge the writer's personal account of incidents. “Andersen is the narrator, but he's untrustworthy,” notes the expert. The effect is a fascinating rapid journey of Andersen’s life and creations, thought processes and best-loved stories. This is provocative and fun, for mature visitors and children, with a additional lower-level imaginary world, the fictional village, for the smallest guests.

Exploring Odense

In the actual city, the small city of Odense is charming, with stone-paved roads and historic timber buildings colored in bright colours. The writer's influence is ubiquitous: the road indicators feature the writer with his signature formal headwear, metal shoe prints give a complimentary pedestrian route, and there’s a sculpture trail too. Every August this commitment reaches its height with the annual Andersen celebration, which celebrates the writer's impact through creativity, performance, theatre and music.

Recently, the multi-day festival had 500 shows, many were without charge. As I explore the city, I encounter colorful performers on stilts, fantastical beings and an writer impersonator sharing tales. I experience empowering poetry and see an remarkable evening show featuring acrobatic dancers lowering from the municipal structure and dangling from a crane. Future activities in the coming months are lectures, family art workshops and, broadening the storytelling legacy beyond Andersen, the city’s annual Magic Days festival.

Each wonderful enchanted locations require a palace, and Fyn boasts numerous historic homes and estates across the island

Cycling and Exploration

As in other Danish regions, bikes are the perfect means to navigate in this town and a “bike path” winds through the city centre. Departing from the local hotel, I cycle to the public port-side aquatic facility, then into the countryside for a route around Stige Island, a compact territory joined by a bridge to the primary land. Town dwellers have outdoor meals here after work, or take pleasure in a tranquil moment angling, paddleboarding or taking a dip.

In Odense, I dine at a local eatery, where the culinary offerings is inspired by the writer's motifs and narratives. The poem Denmark, My Native Land appears at the restaurant, and owner the host reads extracts, translated into English, as he introduces the meal. Such encounters frequent in my days in the city, the island inhabitants enjoy storytelling and it feels as though narrating is always on the menu here.

Historic Estate Tours

Every excellent enchanted locations deserve a palace, and the island boasts 123 castles and stately homes throughout the region. Taking day trips from the city, I tour Egeskov Castle, the region's best-preserved moated palace. Despite parts are accessible to the public, Egeskov is also the family home of Count Michael Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille and his wife, the royal resident. I ponder if she can feel a pea through a stack of {mattresses