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Looking at my reflection, I appear to be wearing huge gilded pantaloons, visible only to me. Youngsters relax in a stone basin acting as mermaids, meanwhile in the next room sits a chatting legume in a display case, alongside a towering stack of cushions. It represents the universe of H.C. Andersen (1805-1875), a leading 19th century’s widely adored writers. I'm visiting the city of Odense, situated in Funen in the southern part of this Nordic country, to discover Andersen’s enduring legacy in his native city many decades after his passing, and to discover a handful of fairytales of my own.

The Exhibition: H.C. Andersen's House

Andersen's House is the city’s cultural center honoring the author, including his childhood house. A curator states that in past designs of the museum there was scant attention on Andersen’s stories. Andersen's biography was studied, but Thumbelina were absent. For visitors who come to this place seeking fairytale wonder, it was a little lacking.

The redesign of the city center, diverting a major road, created the chance to reconsider how the city’s most famous son could be honored. A prestigious architectural challenge granted Japanese firm the Kengo Kuma team the commission, with the museum's fresh perspective at the core of the layout. The unique wood-paneled museum with interlinked curving spaces launched to great fanfare in 2021. “We have attempted to build a place where we move beyond simply describing the writer, but we talk like the storyteller: with wit, satire and outlook,” says the expert. Even the gardens follow this philosophy: “This is a landscape for strollers and for giants, it’s designed to give you a sense of smallness,” he explains, a goal achieved by clever planting, experimenting with height, proportion and many winding paths in a unexpectedly limited space.

Andersen's Impact

Andersen wrote multiple autobiographies and often provided conflicting accounts. The exhibition takes this approach seriously; frequently the perspectives of his companions or excerpts of written messages are presented to subtly challenge the his narrative of events. “Andersen is the storyteller, but he's untrustworthy,” says the representative. The result is a compelling rapid journey of his personal story and work, thought processes and favorite tales. It is stimulating and whimsical, for mature visitors and kids, with a additional lower-level fantasy realm, the pretend town, for the youngest visitors.

Visiting the Town

Returning to the real world, the small city of the municipality is picturesque, with historic pathways and traditional Danish homes colored in bright colours. The author's presence is all around: the road indicators show the writer with his distinctive characteristic hat, metal shoe prints give a free Andersen walking tour, and there’s a outdoor exhibition too. Every August this dedication reaches its height with the annual HC Andersen festival, which honors the writer's impact through visual arts, performance, stage shows and melodies.

Recently, the multi-day celebration had numerous performances, most of which were without charge. While visiting Odense, I come across painted stilt-walkers, spooky creatures and an writer impersonator telling stories. I experience contemporary performances and see an remarkable late-night performance including graceful performers lowering from the city building and suspended from a crane. Future activities this year are presentations, family art workshops and, expanding the storytelling legacy beyond Andersen, the city’s yearly Magic Days festival.

All good magical places require a castle, and Fyn boasts over a hundred manors and manor houses across the island

Biking Adventures

Like most of Denmark, cycles are the perfect means to travel around in this town and a “bike path” meanders through the city centre. Starting at the local hotel, I pedal to the public harbour-side swimming pool, then into the countryside for a route around Stige Ø, a tiny landmass linked by a road to the mainland. City residents picnic here following their day, or appreciate a tranquil moment catching fish, aquatic activities or swimming.

In town, I eat at the themed restaurant, where the menu is inspired by the writer's motifs and stories. The poem Denmark, My Native Land is featured when I visit, and manager the restaurateur recites passages, presented in English, as he presents each course. It’s an experience frequent in my time in Odense, the island inhabitants enjoy storytelling and it feels as though storytelling is always available here.

Historic Estate Tours

Each wonderful magical places deserve a fortress, and Fyn features over a hundred manors and manor houses throughout the region. Going on excursions from the city, I explore the historic fortress, the region's most intact moated palace. While much of it are open to visitors, Egeskov is also the family home of the aristocratic owners and his partner, the royal resident. I ponder if she might sense a small legume through a mound of {mattresses