Odense Local Customs

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We quickly found ourselves surrounded by typical Scandinavian houses in soft pastel colours in quaint old streets.
We walked via Bangs Boder, Overstraede, crossed at Overgade towards Paaskergade (Easter street).

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Starting from HC Andersen hotel, we walked about an hour with a guide through the old part of Odense. There are many sculpures on the streets in Odense. Of course there's Andersen himself but also sculptures that were inspired by his stories.

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Don't be alarmed if you see a giraffe's neck in the city centre. It has not escaped from the zoo, but is the very tall chimney of local Albani breweries. These days owned by Royal Unibrew, Denmark's second largest brewery (I bet you can guess the first...) I had the pleasure of visiting it on a study tour as you can see in the other photos :) Not my favourite beer by any means (I've lived in Belgium and have family in Germany...) it is pleasant enough and is what you will be served in most Odense bars.

The Flower Festival is held in Odense every year, sometime in August. Various clubs, associations and individual competitors display their flower arrangements in the streets of Odense. This year's was devoted to H.C. Andersen's fairy tales to celebrate his 200th birthday. The exhibits, some of them really ingenious, were displayed all over the old part of the town so you will see them in many of my tips. The festival was combined with a stage performance in the city main square. It sounded like story-telling to the sounds of music but of course, not knowing Danish, I can't be sure.

This young couple have just emerged from the Town Hall after their marriage ceremony.
Immediately after that, as a matter of course - that's why I assume most couples married there do that - they stood in front of the monument to H. C. Andersen to pose for a photograph with him. Hoping for a fairy-tale life? Perhaps, but the great writer's fairy tales are often sad and not always end well. Or just hoping he'll pass on some of his wisdom to them? Whatever they may have hoped for - all the best! May you live long and be happy till death you do part.

Canute IV (1043-1086) (Knud den hellige, Icel. Knútur helgi) was the son of King Sweyn II Estrithson of Denmark, and succeeded his brother as king of Denmark (1080). Canute opposed the aristocracy and kept a close association with the church. He generously patronized several churches, established a Benedictine abbey at Odense; and supported apostolic preaching throughout Denmark. His administrative reform however incurred the wrath of the rural aristocracy and those aristocrats who opposed his tax policy revolted. He fled from the rebels, led by his brother Olaf, to St. Alban's Church, Odense, which he had founded, and was assassinated there with the entire royal party. Canute was buried in St. Alban's, renamed c. 1300 St. Canute's Cathedral. Miracles were recorded at his tomb, and he was canonized (1101) by Pope Paschal II.

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Meet the steadfast tin-soldier / Den standhaftige Tinsoldat in Odense, not far from the H.C. Andersen museum in a sculpture made by E.Madsen in 1996.

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Young people playing and studying on the grassy banks of the river Odense A, and some practicing a South-American martial arts dance.
Four photo's in this tip!