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In the mirror, I can see myself in enormous gilded pantaloons, visible just for my eyes. Kids play in a water feature imitating mermaids, and adjacent sits a speaking vegetable in a display case, next to a tall mound of mattresses. It embodies the domain of the beloved author (1805-1875), one of the nineteenth-century's widely adored authors. I'm visiting this Danish town, situated in Funen in the south of Denmark, to discover Andersen’s lasting influence in his birthplace 150 years after his passing, and to experience a couple of enchanted tales of my own.

The Exhibition: The Andersen Museum

The H.C. Andersen Museum is the local exhibition space dedicated to the author, including his original residence. A curator notes that in past designs of the museum there was minimal emphasis on his fairytales. The writer’s life was examined, but The Little Mermaid were nowhere to be found. For tourists who travel to this place in search of narrative enchantment, it was somewhat disappointing.

The renovation of the city center, redirecting a primary street, made it possible to reimagine how the city’s most famous son could be honored. A prestigious architectural challenge granted the architects from Japan Kengo Kuma and Associates the project, with the innovative curatorial vision at the heart of the design. The distinctive wooden museum with interwoven spiral spaces launched to great fanfare in 2021. “Our goal was to create a space where we move beyond simply describing the author, but we communicate similarly to him: with wit, irony and perspective,” explains the representative. Even the gardens follow this philosophy: “This is a landscape for strollers and for colossal creatures, it's created to make you feel small,” he says, a goal accomplished by strategic landscaping, manipulating height, scale and numerous twisting trails in a surprisingly compact space.

The Writer's Legacy

Andersen wrote several personal accounts and often changed his story. HC Andersens Hus embraces this concept fully; often the perspectives of his friends or snippets of correspondence are displayed to politely doubt the author’s own version of happenings. “The author is the narrator, but he’s not reliable,” says the representative. The outcome is a fascinating rapid journey of the author's biography and art, thought processes and favorite tales. This is provocative and playful, for mature visitors and children, with a bonus underground make-believe land, the pretend town, for the children.

Exploring Odense

Returning to the physical town, the small city of Odense is delightful, with stone-paved roads and old wooden houses finished in vibrant hues. The Andersen legacy is all around: the road indicators feature the writer with his iconic top hat, brass footprints provide a no-cost Andersen walking tour, and there’s a outdoor exhibition too. Every August this dedication culminates with the regular storytelling event, which honors the author’s legacy through creativity, movement, stage shows and melodies.

During my visit, the week-long event had numerous performances, most of which were complimentary. During my time in the city, I come across painted stilt-walkers, fantastical beings and an author double narrating adventures. I listen to empowering poetry and observe an amazing evening show including acrobatic dancers coming down from the city building and dangling from a crane. Upcoming events during the season are presentations, creative sessions for all ages and, extending the narrative tradition beyond Andersen, the city’s yearly Magic Days festival.

Each wonderful enchanted locations need a castle, and this region contains 123 castles and stately homes around the area

Cycling and Exploration

Like most of Denmark, cycles are the ideal method to get about in Odense and a “bicycle route” meanders through the downtown area. Departing from Hotel Odeon, I cycle to the free port-side aquatic facility, then out of town for a route around the nearby islet, a tiny landmass linked by a road to the primary land. Town dwellers have outdoor meals here in the evening, or enjoy a tranquil moment angling, water sports or taking a dip.

In town, I eat at a local eatery, where the food selection is based on author-inspired concepts and narratives. The poem the national ode is highlighted at the restaurant, and owner Nils Palmqvist shares excerpts, rendered in English, as he serves every dish. Such encounters repeated often in my visit, the island inhabitants appreciate narratives and it feels as though narrating is constantly available here.

Manor House Visits

Every excellent magical places deserve a palace, and Fyn boasts numerous historic homes and manor houses around the area. Traveling briefly from town, I tour the historic fortress, Europe’s best-preserved moated palace. While much of it are available for tours, the castle is also the family home of the aristocratic owners and his wife, the princess. I ponder if she would notice a tiny vegetable through a pile of {mattresses