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Reflected back at me, I seem to have on enormous shimmering pantaloons, seen just for my eyes. Youngsters sit in a stone basin pretending to be mermaids, and nearby resides a speaking vegetable in a exhibition box, beside a imposing mound of bedding. It represents the universe of Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), one of the 1800s widely adored authors. I find myself in Odense, located on Fyn in the southern region of this Nordic country, to investigate the author's timeless impact in his birthplace many decades after his death, and to find a few fairytales of my own.

The Museum: The Andersen Museum

Andersen's House is the city’s exhibition space honoring the storyteller, featuring his childhood house. A museum representative states that in previous versions of the museum there was minimal emphasis on the author's tales. His personal history was examined, but Thumbelina were nowhere to be found. For visitors who travel to Odense seeking fairytale wonder, it was a little lacking.

The redevelopment of the city center, rerouting a main thoroughfare, created the chance to reconsider how the city’s most famous son could be commemorated. A prestigious architectural challenge granted the Japanese company the Kengo Kuma team the commission, with the museum's fresh perspective at the heart of the layout. The unique wooden museum with connected spiralling spaces launched to much acclaim in 2021. “Our goal was to build a place where we don’t talk about Andersen, but we talk like the storyteller: with wit, irony and outlook,” explains the curator. The outdoor spaces embrace this concept: “The outdoor area for wanderers and for giants, it's planned to give you a sense of smallness,” he explains, a goal achieved by clever planting, experimenting with elevation, scale and many winding paths in a unexpectedly limited space.

The Author's Influence

The author penned several autobiographies and frequently provided conflicting accounts. The museum takes this approach fully; frequently the opinions of his acquaintances or excerpts of written messages are presented to subtly challenge the his narrative of events. “The author is the guide, but his account isn't always accurate,” says the representative. The result is a fascinating rapid journey of Andersen’s life and work, thought processes and most popular stories. This is provocative and whimsical, for grown-ups and youngsters, with a additional basement fantasy realm, Ville Vau, for the children.

Exploring Odense

Returning to the actual city, the compact town of the municipality is charming, with cobbled streets and old wooden houses finished in cheerful shades. The writer's influence is ubiquitous: the traffic lights display the writer with his iconic top hat, bronze footmarks give a complimentary guided stroll, and there’s a art walk too. Annually in August this commitment reaches its height with the regular Andersen celebration, which honors the his influence through visual arts, dance, drama and musical performances.

Recently, the multi-day festival had 500 shows, most of which were complimentary. As I explore this place, I come across artistic acrobats, spooky creatures and an Andersen lookalike telling stories. I hear empowering poetry and observe an amazing evening show featuring graceful performers lowering from the municipal structure and hanging from a mechanical arm. Upcoming events this year are presentations, creative sessions for all ages and, expanding the narrative tradition past the author, the city’s yearly Magic Days festival.

All good fairytale destinations require a fortress, and Fyn features over a hundred manors and stately homes across the island

Cycling and Exploration

As in most of Denmark, cycles are the ideal method to navigate in Odense and a “bicycle route” winds through the urban core. From Hotel Odeon, I ride to the public waterside bathing area, then beyond the city for a route around the nearby islet, a small island linked by a road to the primary land. Town dwellers have outdoor meals here after work, or enjoy a quiet hour fishing, aquatic activities or bathing.

In Odense, I visit Restaurant Under Lindetræet, where the culinary offerings is inspired by author-inspired concepts and stories. The poem the national ode is highlighted during my meal, and manager the restaurateur reads extracts, translated into English, as he serves every dish. Such encounters repeated often in my visit, the local residents enjoy storytelling and it seems that sharing tales is continuously offered here.

Historic Estate Tours

Every excellent fairytale destinations need a fortress, and Fyn contains numerous historic homes and estates throughout the region. Traveling briefly from the city, I tour Egeskov Palace, the region's finely maintained moated palace. While much of it are open to visitors, the castle is also the family home of Count Michael Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille and his wife, Princess Alexandra zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg. I contemplate if she would notice a small legume through a mound of {mattresses