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In the mirror, I can see myself in enormous shimmering pantaloons, visible only to me. Youngsters sit in a rock pool acting as mermaids, while nearby sits a chatting legume in a exhibition box, next to a towering stack of mattresses. This is the world of H.C. Andersen (1805-1875), one of the 1800s widely adored authors. I’m in Odense, on the island of Fyn in the south of the Danish kingdom, to explore Andersen’s timeless impact in his native city many decades after his death, and to find a couple of enchanted tales of my own.

The Exhibition: H.C. Andersen's House

Andersen's House is the local museum dedicated to the storyteller, including his first home. A curator explains that in earlier iterations of the museum there was minimal emphasis on his fairytales. His personal history was explored, but The Ugly Duckling were absent. For visitors who visit this place in search of fairytale wonder, it was not quite enough.

The renovation of the city center, diverting a primary street, provided the opportunity to rethink how the renowned native could be commemorated. An international design contest granted the architects from Japan Kengo Kuma and Associates the project, with the curators’ new approach at the core of the design. The distinctive wooden museum with connected spiralling spaces launched to significant attention in 2021. “We’ve tried to design an environment where we avoid discussing the writer, but we communicate similarly to the storyteller: with humour, sarcasm and perspective,” explains the expert. The outdoor spaces follow this philosophy: “It’s a garden for wanderers and for colossal creatures, it’s designed to give you a sense of smallness,” he says, an objective realized by strategic landscaping, playing with verticality, size and numerous twisting trails in a deceptively small space.

Andersen's Impact

Andersen wrote multiple personal accounts and regularly contradicted himself. HC Andersens Hus embraces this concept to heart; often the opinions of his acquaintances or excerpts of written messages are displayed to gently question the his narrative of events. “The writer is the storyteller, but his account isn't always accurate,” says the expert. The result is a compelling rapid journey of Andersen’s life and creations, thought processes and favorite tales. This is thought-provoking and playful, for adults and children, with a additional basement make-believe land, Ville Vau, for the children.

Visiting the Town

In the actual city, the small city of Odense is charming, with cobbled streets and historic timber buildings colored in bright colours. The author's presence is all around: the street signals display the storyteller with his signature characteristic hat, bronze footmarks give a free pedestrian route, and there’s a art walk too. Annually in August this dedication reaches its height with the yearly HC Andersen festival, which celebrates the his influence through visual arts, performance, stage shows and musical performances.

This year, the seven-day event had numerous performances, the majority were complimentary. While visiting the city, I meet painted stilt-walkers, spooky creatures and an writer impersonator telling stories. I hear feminist spoken-word pieces and witness an remarkable nocturnal display with athletic artists coming down from the city building and dangling from a construction equipment. Still to come this year are presentations, hands-on activities and, broadening the storytelling legacy further than the writer, the city’s annual enchantment celebration.

All good fairytale destinations deserve a palace, and the island contains 123 castles and stately homes across the island

Cycling and Exploration

As in much of the country, bicycles are the best way to travel around in this town and a “cycling highway” meanders through the downtown area. Departing from my accommodation, I ride to the complimentary waterside bathing area, then beyond the city for a route around Stige Ø, a tiny landmass linked by a road to the larger island. Town dwellers picnic here in the evening, or appreciate a quiet hour angling, aquatic activities or taking a dip.

Returning to the city, I visit Restaurant Under Lindetræet, where the culinary offerings is based on the writer's motifs and stories. The poem Denmark, My Native Land appears at the restaurant, and proprietor the host recites passages, rendered in English, as he presents each course. It’s an experience frequent in my days in the city, the island inhabitants appreciate narratives and it seems that sharing tales is always available here.

Historic Estate Tours

All good magical places deserve a castle, and this region boasts over a hundred manors and estates across the island. Going on excursions from Odense, I visit Egeskov Palace, the continent's finely maintained moated palace. Although large sections are available for tours, the castle is also the personal dwelling of the noble family and his partner, Princess Alexandra zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg. I contemplate if she would notice a small legume through a mound of {mattresses