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Reflected back at me, I appear to be wearing oversized golden pantaloons, visible only to me. Kids play in a rock pool acting as sea nymphs, and adjacent sits a chatting legume in a exhibition box, alongside a towering stack of cushions. It embodies the domain of the beloved author (1805-1875), a leading nineteenth-century's widely adored storytellers. I find myself in this Danish town, located on the island of Fyn in the southern part of the Danish kingdom, to explore the author's enduring legacy in his home town a century and a half after his death, and to discover a handful of enchanted tales of my own.

The Museum: The Andersen Museum

HC Andersens Hus is the town's museum honoring the writer, including his original residence. A museum representative states that in earlier iterations of the museum there was scant attention on the author's tales. His personal history was examined, but The Ugly Duckling were missing. For guests who travel to Odense seeking narrative enchantment, it was a little lacking.

The redevelopment of Odense city centre, redirecting a main thoroughfare, created the chance to reimagine how the city’s most famous son could be celebrated. An international design contest awarded the Japanese company the Kengo Kuma team the contract, with the innovative curatorial vision at the center of the design. The remarkable timber-clad museum with interwoven spiral spaces debuted to much acclaim in 2021. “We’ve tried to create a space where we move beyond simply describing the writer, but we speak in the manner of Andersen: with humour, irony and outlook,” explains the expert. Even the gardens take this approach: “This is a landscape for strollers and for giants, it’s designed to make you feel small,” he says, an objective realized by strategic landscaping, manipulating height, size and many winding paths in a unexpectedly limited space.

The Author's Influence

The author penned two and a half memoirs and often contradicted himself. The museum adopts this philosophy seriously; frequently the opinions of his friends or excerpts of written messages are shown to politely doubt the his narrative of incidents. “Andersen is the narrator, but his account isn't always accurate,” explains the curator. The result is a fascinating swift exploration of his personal story and art, mental approaches and most popular narratives. It is thought-provoking and whimsical, for adults and kids, with a extra underground make-believe land, the pretend town, for the smallest guests.

Exploring Odense

Back in the actual city, the compact town of Odense is delightful, with stone-paved roads and old wooden houses colored in vibrant hues. The author's presence is everywhere: the traffic lights show the storyteller with his signature top hat, metal shoe prints offer a free pedestrian route, and there’s a sculpture trail too. Every August this commitment culminates with the yearly storytelling event, which marks the author’s legacy through creativity, performance, stage shows and melodies.

During my visit, the seven-day celebration had 500 shows, many were free. While visiting Odense, I come across artistic acrobats, fantastical beings and an author double sharing tales. I experience contemporary performances and observe an remarkable evening show featuring graceful performers descending from the municipal structure and suspended from a mechanical arm. Still to come in the coming months are presentations, creative sessions for all ages and, expanding the storytelling legacy past the author, the city’s annual enchantment celebration.

Every excellent enchanted locations need a palace, and this region boasts over a hundred manors and manor houses across the island

Cycling and Exploration

Like most of Denmark, cycles are the ideal method to get about in this town and a “cycling highway” winds through the urban core. Starting at the local hotel, I cycle to the complimentary waterside bathing area, then beyond the city for a route around Stige Island, a small island joined by a bridge to the mainland. City residents have outdoor meals here following their day, or take pleasure in a tranquil moment angling, aquatic activities or taking a dip.

Returning to the city, I visit the themed restaurant, where the culinary offerings is derived from author-inspired concepts and tales. The literary work Denmark, My Native Land appears when I visit, and proprietor Nils Palmqvist shares excerpts, rendered in English, as he presents each course. It’s an experience commonplace in my days in the city, the fynbo love a yarn and it feels as though sharing tales is continuously offered here.

Historic Estate Tours

Each wonderful fairytale destinations require a castle, and Fyn features over a hundred manors and manor houses across the island. Going on excursions from Odense, I tour the historic fortress, the region's best-preserved moated palace. Despite parts are available for tours, the castle is also the personal dwelling of Count Michael Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille and his wife, the royal resident. I ponder if she would notice a pea through a mound of {mattresses