Odense is the capital & largest city on the island of Funen (da.Fyn) in Denmark. As Denmark's third-largest city, it offers the traveller a mixture of an exciting vibrant night-life, beautiful street-scapes, great shopping opportunities & a rich cultural heritage.
Odense is roughly in the center of Funen, which lies between the larger Zealand island & the Jutland peninsula. The first recorded reference to the city dates back to 988 AD in a letter from the German Kaiser Otto III.
Some recent archaeological finds have indicated that a settlement has in fact been around since the Viking period. At that time however, Odense was just the small centre of the Odin cult. In 1100, the first monastery, St. Knud's was established by English Benedictine monks.
Up until the middle of the 17th century, Odense enjoyed the position as a main trading-centre for the people from the surrounding areas. Local produce & livestock were exported from the city. However a war with Sweden in the 1600s weakened the city's economy, this economic downturn continued until 1803 when a canal linking Odense & the Baltic Sea was opened. This swiftly changed Odense into a port city & over the next 100 years Odense quickly developed into the modern industrial city which it is today.
Currently Odense has a population of 185,871 people, thus making it Denmark's 3rd largest city.
Odense is also the birthplace of the world famous fairytale writer Hans Christian Andersen & the city proudly displays statues, parades & monuments in his memory. Andersen was born on 2 April 1805, in a tiny house on Munkemøllestræde, quite close to the cathedral. During his lifetime, Andersen created many famous fairy-tales which today are internationally famous. For example 'The Little Mermaid', 'The Ugly Duckling' & 'The Snow Queen'.
PLACE TO VISIT
Brandts Klædefabrik, Tu-Su 10AM-5PM except Th noon-9PM. The art & cultural centre of Odense. Contains museums, galleries, specialist shops, a music library, a specialist cinema, bars & a post office. edit
Carl Nielsen Museum, A museum which honours the life of the classical music composer, Carl Nielsen, who was born just outside of Odense. edit
Danish Railway Museum, Daily 10-16 (Closed 1 January, 24, 25 and 31 December.). A museum dedicated to the danish railways. Contains dozens of old trains, carriages & rail road memorabilia. There is also a ride-on model train for children. Admission: Children 5-13 DKK 20, Adults DKK 48, Families DKK 120 (2 adults and 3 children). edit
Egeskov Castle, Daily 10AM-5PM (or 8PM in June/August). Medieval castle dating from 1554, about 30 km south. The current owner, Count Ahlefeldt, has added numerous features, including a maze, walk-among- the treetops and a veteran auto museum, toy museum, kitchen garden, and more, all in a scenic park. 175 DKK.
Hans Christian Andersen Museum, Daily 10AM-4PM (or 6 PM in July-August). Part of the museum is located in the house where Andersen was supposedly born (though he would never confirm it). The collection is mainly documents from his life and times as well as period furniture. 55 DKK for entrance.
Hans Christian Andersen's Garden, Town Centre, behind Saint Knuds Kirke. A garden commemmorating H.C. Andersen. Large flower arrangements, a river & an ice cream shop make this park an ideal location for a picnic.
Odense Zoo, 10AM-4PM (or 6PM in summer). Children: 55 DKK, Adults: 110 DKK, Family: (2 adults, and 2 children) 300 DKK.
Saint Knuds Kirke, Klosterbakken 9am-4pm. Cathedral of King Canute the Holy, who became a martyr nearby in 1086. His tomb and that of his brother are in the crypt with many other burial stones of dignitaries of the day. Free Entry.
WHAT TO DO
Odense Golfklub, . 9 pm -5:30 pm. Green fees: Weekdays Dkr. 275 (38 Euro), Weekends and holidays Dkr. 325 (45 Euro). Odense Golfklub does not accept Euros and only permits credit card payments on weekdays between 8:30 - 16:30.
Odense Go-Kart-Hal,
Odense Symphony Orchestra (Odense Symfoniokester),
Odense Aafart, . Odense Aafart has tour boats from the recreational area Munke Mose in the city centre on Odense River with stops at Odense Zoo and in Fruens Bøge near The Funen Village
HOW TO REACH
By plane - The local airport, Odense Airport, no longer engages in domestic or international passenger flights. However there are nearby airports in Århus, Billund, Esbjerg & Copenhagen. All of these airports are served by buses and/or trains which travel onwards to Odense.
By train - DSB provides rail-links between Odense & many of Denmark's major towns & cities. The trains are of exceptional quality, offer very comfortable seating & have food + drinks served en-route. During peak times it might be advisable to book a seat. This is generally not required very early in the morning or late at night. Trains are quite regular & arrive generally on time. Ticket checks take place on every journey, thus it is vital that you are in possession of a valid ticket at all times. Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the train.
By car - Odense is situated in the centre of the island Funen (da.Fyn), and although not technically correct, many Danes consider it to be the centre of Denmark. The main highway between east (Zealand) and west (Jutland) Denmark, the E20, runs trough the southern suburbs of the city. If you are driving from Germany, this highway branches of the highway from Germany (E45) right after the Kolding Ø exit. It is important to note that there is a toll for crossing the Great-Belt Bridge from Zealand to Funen, the cost is 200 DKK one-way.
By bus - The cream coloured buses from FynBus travel to Odense from locations all over the island of Funen, Fredericia in Jutland, and Nykøbing on the island of Falster.
Regional buses arrive at & depart from the regional bus hub which can be found behind Odense Train Station on the north side of the railway. These are not to be confused with the local busses which depard from within the train station terminal on the south side of the railway. The Intra-city buses can be regognized from the regional buses by the length of the line number. Two-digit number lines are intra-city while 3-digit numbers are regional and inter-city.
By yacht - Odense City has been made accessible to yachts by the construction of a 7 km long canal from Odense Fjord to the old harbour. There are several marinas, however it is recommended that you make sure they have visitor berths before you arrive. You can also dock at marinas in Svendborg, Faaborg or Kerteminde. Then a connecting train or bus would link you to Odense.
