H.C. Andersens Odense

Odense is the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen.

This is where the famous fairy tale writer was born in 1805, the son of a poor shoemaker and a washerwoman, and with one foot in the Middle Ages and the other in modernity.

Odense was Denmark’s largest provincial city, but at a time when superstition was still an important part of city life and the writer’s childhood.

Odense has changed a lot since then, though there are still buildings and places that look like they did in the storyteller’s day.

If you follow the footsteps around the city centre, you will easily find the Hans Christian Andersen Museum and Childhood Home as well as the Tinderbox - a cultural centre for children.

And the footsteps will also take you past another 11 sites of great significance to Hans Christian Andersen’s childhood and his fantastic writings.

This guide will provide you with information about the different sites and their significance to Andersen as well as details on other wonderful experiences.

Have fun!