A modern city with over 1,000 years of history

Odense’s story began long before Hans Christian Andersen. As early as the Viking Age, the area around the Odense River and Åsum was a key hub for trade and craftsmanship. The name “Odense” comes from “Odins Vi” – a sacred place dedicated to the god Odin. Finds such as a dress pin over 30 cm long from Skt. Jørgensparken and traces of early settlement show that this place was buzzing with life long before the city officially gained market town status.

On 2 April 1805, Hans Christian Andersen was born in a small house on Hans Jensens Stræde. Back then, Odense was a provincial town with shoemakers, washerwomen and small craftsmen. Childhood impressions left a lasting mark on many of Andersen’s fairy tales, and although he later became world-famous, his roots were firmly rooted in the city. Today, you can visit both his birthplace and the new Hans Christian Andersen House, where his stories unfold through architecture, sound and light.

In the mid-1800s, the railway reached Odense, and the city grew rapidly. New factories, breweries and housing sprang up, turning Odense into a centre for industry and transport. A strong working-class culture emerged, and many of the old industrial buildings still exist – now transformed into cultural venues, restaurants or offices.

I dag er Odense i gang med en omfattende byomdannelse, hvor gamle fabrikker forvandles til kreative miljøer og kulturhuse. Den historiske bykerne er blevet forbundet med åen og grønne områder, og de mange lag i byens historie er bevaret og sat i spil på ny. Museerne, street art, skulpturer og stemningsfulde gader inviterer dig til at gå på opdagelse – både i fortiden og i nutidens kreative byliv.