Odense - A Modern Story

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Odense - A Modern Story

Odense is a tourist destination which looks forward to welcoming visitors from Denmark and the rest of the world. Odense can offer you a fairy-tale adventure in the home town of the famous storyteller Hans Christian Andersen. You also have the opportunity to visit the museum located inside H.C. Andersen's home.

Odense offers many exciting museums for both young and old You can also visit one of the many castles, manor houses or beautiful parks in the area. The Odense Zoo is a must see for families with children, where you can see animals from many different continents from all around the world.

See and Do

Swimming

Klosterbakkern Swimming Center

The indoor pool at Klosterbakkern was built in 1938 and has a capacity of 220 visitors per hour. Facilities include showers, sauna, training equipment and cafeteria. The pool is 25 x 12 meters and 0,9 to 3,05 meters deep and there is a 1 meter diving board. The pool is centrally located in Odense and is very popular.
Klosterbakken 5, Odense C
+45 6551 53 30
www.odense-idraetspark.dk

Middelfartvej Swimming Center

The pool is 25 x 10,5 meter and 0,95 to 3,1 meter deep. There is a 1 meter high diving board, shower and sauna. There is also a baby pool where the water temperature is 34 degrees. The pool is 6,6 x 2,3 meter and 1,1 meter deep. The indoor pool has a capacity of 115 visitors per hour.
Middelfartvej 180, Odense V
+45 6551 53 43
www.odense-idraetspark.dk

Odense Open Air Pool

This open air swimming pool is usually open from mid May to late August. The main pool is 50 x 25 meters and 1,6 - 4,5 meters deep. The second pool is 40 X 25 meters and 0,6 - 0,9 meters deep. We offer you a water slide (45 m.), diving boards (1 & 3 m.), diving platforms (5 & 10m), a cafeteria, a football field and a large grassy area - suitable for a picnic perhaps?
Elsesmindevej 50, Odense V
+45 6551 53 60
www.odense-idraetspark.dk

University Swimming Center

The Universities swimming pool has international measures of 50 x 21 meters with water depths from 1.8 to 3,8 meters. Furthermore, part of the pool has variable depths from 0,3 - 1,8 meters. The pool has two diving boards (1 and 3 meters), and a diving platform at 5 meters. Water temperature is 26 degrees Celsius.
Campusvej 50, Odense M
+45 6551 53 55
www.odense-idraetspark.dk

Family Activities

Løvens Hule (The Lion's Den)

Løvens Hule (The Lions Den) is an indoor play land for children under 12. A playground with a giant climbing wall (6 meters high) - designed and built for exploration. Slides guide the children into a basin filled with plastic balls, footbridges to climb over and tunnels to climb through.

For the youngest (0-4 years) there is a separate area, where they can explore the lion's den at their own speed.
Roersvej 33, Odense C
+45 6612 13 07
www.lovenshule.dk

Odense Zoo

At the Odense Zoo you can travel over several continents in one day.

In Oceania, we journey to South America to discover a tropical rain forest where animals such as the Caribbean Manatees enjoy swimming in the "river". After visiting the coral reef at the bottom of the sea filled with colorful fish, the tour heads south ending in a sub-Antarctic climate with the penguins.

The African section presents lions and other wildlife and a large wetland area called the "Okavango" where birds and zebras have the run of the area. The chimpanzees climb around indoors or search for food on the outdoor islands abounding with activities for these fascinating anthropoids.
Sdr. Boulevard 306, Odense C
+45 6611 13 60
odensezoo@odensezoo.dk
www.odensezoo.dk

Fishing

Fyns Fishing Waters

Four great fishing lakes (one of which is for kids), with focus on quality and service, beautifully located 12 km south of Odense.

A total of 55.000 m2 of fishing water in which there are a variety of different species, with fish up to 11 kg. Plenty of fish to catch without any maximum for adults and a maximum for the children's lake of 2 fish per rod. After the second fish you are allowed to use the other lakes.

The children's lake was made to give the kids the very best opportunities to catch fish. There are a lot of fish in kids size - so no fishing for adults.

The lakes are well suited for fly fishing.
Fyns Fiskevand Nyhavevej 115, Odense SØ
+45 6597 24 28
www.fyfi.dk

Lake Ibjergvejens (Fishing)

This Put & Take Lake is equipped with everything you need, including accommodation. Tickets are available at the kiosk in Ibjergvejen or in vending machines at the lake.
Ibjergvej 5, Årslev
+45 6597 24 36

Museum

Brandts Exhibition Complex

Brandts Exhibtion Complex (formerly Kunsthallen Brandts Klædefabrik) moved into an old textile mill in 1987.

In its four large galleries, the complex shows changing exhibitions - mainly contemporary Danish and international art. The program includes thematic shows, sensory shows for children, and dialogue shows of artists and their sources of inspiration.

The exhibitions are primarily of visual art, but also present decorative art, performance, design, architecture and video art.
Brandts Torv 1, Odense C
+45 6520 70 10
www.brandts.dk

Odense City Museum

Fyn's history is told in Møntergården in two different exhibitions, the "Creation Man" and "Fine Funen Finds."

The creative man is an archaeological exhibition about antiquity on the island of Fyn, while the exhibition "Fine Funen Finds" tell us about the time from the Old Stone Age up to the Viking era.

Here you can see hundreds of Stone Age tools and many of the unique findings that have been made in Stockholm in recent years - so-called "danefæ."
Møntergården Overgade 48, Odense C
+45 6551 46 01
www.museum.odense.dk

The Danish Railway Museum

In the Nordic region's largest railway museum, you can lose yourself in 10.000 m2 of rail technology, experiences, discoveries, games and nostalgia.

The museum exhibits 150 years of trains and ferries. Look in on the grandest private saloon carriage or take a seat on the wooden benches of a third class compartment. Cross Funen in the driver's seat of a large locomotive. The tables are set in the blue Wagons-Lits restaurant car, and the majestic Royal carriages are ready... Here you will also find buses, model railways, mini trains, play areas and an attractive shop.
Dannebrogsgade 24, Odense C
+45 6613 66 30
www.jernbanemuseum.dk

The European Car Museum

We tell the cultural history about an era where industry grew year by year and where ordinary people got their share. The car park grew explosively, but also the motor-assisted pedal cycle became a common sight. Then there was the motorcycle and the mechanical toys.

The exhibition is bursting with motorcycles, mopeds, tools, toy cars, brochures, posters and more than 100 vehicles.

The museum is equipped with tables and chairs, where you can enjoy soft drinks, ice cream, toast and much more, which you can buy in our kiosk, or you can bring your own lunch.
Fraugde-Kærby-Vej 203, Odense SØ
+45 6595 18 80
www.automuseum.dk

The Funen Village

The Funen Open Air Museum (with rural structures from the 18th and 19th century) is a complete village environment that has been recreated, with half-timbered buildings, fenced farm animals, village pond and village street. The entire village is surrounded by cultivated land. The museum tells the story of life in the country around the 1850s. Agriculture is practiced using traditional methods - with many activities and living history during the holidays.
Sejerskovvej 20, Odense S
+45 6551 46 01
museum@odense.dk
www.museum.odense.dk

The Hans Christian Andersen Museum

Visit the museum in the old city precinct and learn all about the fantastic life of the writer. The exhibitions give an in-depth impression of Hans Christian Andersen as a person as well as the world he lived in from 1805 to 1875.

Admire a large selection of the writer's paper-cuts and drawings as well as a comprehensive book collection from the whole world.
Bangs Boder 29, Odense C
+45 6551 46 01
museum@odense.dk
www.museum.odense.dk

Parks

H.C. Andersen Haven

The garden is situated in the quarter between the city center and Sankt Knudsgade. It was established by a book club in 1876. This meant that it was closed to the general public. The book club was a library for the wealthy citizens of Odense. Only those with membership cards could enter the garden.

In 1942 the book club handed the gardens over to the Municipality of Odense. The park was completely reconstructed. Parts were added from the monastic herb garden of St. Canute Cathedral and other fine gardens in the area. The project was run by architects C. Th. Sørensen and P. Wad in collaboration with B. Helweg-Møller, who was the Town Hall architect.

The pergola, all the bridges and the “Chinese Wall” are designed and built to the highest standards, as befits a Town Hall garden. The original pergola contained an attractive pattern of diamond shaped beds.

In 1949 the statue of Hans Christian Andersen was erected in the garden. It was created by Lois Hasselriis. Close by – in the river – there is a Erik Heide sculpture of a paper boat, dating back to 1985.

Klosterhaven (Convent Garden)

Right beside the Cathedral, an old wrought-iron gate shows you the way to the Klosterhaven (Convent Garden). The Convent Garden is a fine little geometrically laid out garden, which architect I. P. Sørensen drew in the 1920’s. The garden has been designed as a klosterhaven, so authentic that you can almost hear the monk's step and call.

It consists of a small atrium garden with aromatic roses and herbs. During the spring, the bulbs take over and during summer lots of annuals reign the beds. In the larger part of the garden a collection of more than 125 herbs, some with medicinal purposes. Some of the herbs are well known for their medicinal uses – others are more unusual.

Worth Seeing

Ansgar Church

A cross church built in 1902, in roman style and named after the first apostle in Scandinavia, Ansgar. The architect, Niels Jacobsen, has built many fine and characteristic buildings and houses in Odense.

The building is known as the most beauriful in Odense. Some of the things that makes it worth seeing is the beautiful sandstone relief over the church door by sculptor Thomas Bærentzen and the guilded alter-piece by sculptor Axel Poulsen.

The large traditional pipe organ was built in 1972 by Marcussen & Son, and has 29 pitches. In 1999, an electro-acoustic organ was installed from Eltham Pianofabrik with 152 pitches - one of the largest in Europe.
Sdr. Boulevard 1, Odense C
+45 6612 42 52
www.ansgarskirke.dk

Bellinge Church

Bellinge Church was built around 1300, in the late Gothic style with a nave and a narrower choir. Bellinge Church is particularly known for its fine and very unusual murals dating back approximately 500 years.
Kirkelundvej 18A, Bellinge, Odense S V
+45 6596 36 34
uk@km.dk
www.bellingekirke.dk

Castles & Manor Houses

Although Denmark has the world’s oldest monarchy, it is still pretty impressive to find some 600 castles and manor houses in such a small country. It isn’t all that long ago that the high walls and wrought-iron gates prevented public access to these marvelous estates. Fortunately, times have changed and more and more castles and manor houses have opened their doors to visitors, or even offer accommodation. Many places do not give access to the castle or manor itself, but you are welcome to enjoy a walk in the adjoining gardens or park.

On Funen we have no less than 123 of the kind. Not all of them are open for visitors, but by far the most can be seen from the outside or from public roads.

Kramboden (Historical House)

Kramboden is situated in a protected merchant's house from the 15th century. Like in past times, Kramboden is a real treasure chest of small wares. The range of goods covers everyday items from Danish daily life, be it antiques, old stocks or good museum copies.
Nedergade 24, Odense C
+45 6611 45 22
www.nedergade.dk/Kramboden.htm

St. Albani Church

The church is built in early Gothic style, but the portal is Romanesque. The steeple is 54 meters high. Wood carvings in the church are from Southern Tyrol, stain-glass paintings and the four church bells come from Germany.
Adelgade 1, Odense C
+45 6612 16 64
sognepraest@sct-albani.dk
www.sct-albani.dk

Vor Frue Kirke (Church of Our Lady)

Vor Frue Kirke is the oldest church in the city from the late 1200s. As early as the 1000s, it was a wooden church and then replaced with granite. Next to the church is Odense oldest secular building built around the year 1300. Today, it is a meeting place for politicians but previously it was both a school and morgue.
Frue Kirkestræde 12B, Odense
+46 6612 65 39
vorfruesogn.odense@km.dk
www.vorfrueodense.dk