Odense ( , , ) is the third largest city in

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

(behind

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

and Aarhus) and the largest city on the island of

Funen Funen ( da, Fyn, ), with an area of , is the third-largest island of Denmark, after Zealand and Vendsyssel-Thy. It is the 165th-largest island in the world. It is located in the central part of the country and has a population of 469,947 as of ...

. As of 1 January 2022, the city proper had a population of 180,863 while Odense Municipality had a population of 205,978, making it the fourth largest municipality in Denmark (behind

, Aarhus and Aalborg municipalities). Eurostat and

OECD The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD; french: Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques, ''OCDE'') is an intergovernmental organisation with 38 member countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate e ...

have used a definition for the Metropolitan area of Odense (referred to as a ''

Functional urban area The larger urban zone (LUZ), or functional urban area (FUA), is a measure of the population and expanse of metropolitan and surrounding areas which may or may not be exclusively urban. It consists of a city and its commuting zone outside it. Th ...

''), which includes all municipalities in the

Province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

(Danish: ''landsdel'') of Funen (Danish: ''Fyn''), with a total population of 504,066 as of 1 July 2022https://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/show.do?dataset=urb_lpop1&lang=en&fbclid=IwAR2SFTy1xGM8VcLHijhmSDQWd9Fr3TYx7JlKxg81_09e-KzEtmEgjL5L2UU By road, Odense is located north of

. The city was the seat of

Odense County Odense County ( da, Odense Amt) is a former province in Denmark, located on the northern half of the island of Funen in central Denmark. Odense County was established in 1806 and abolished in 1970 when it merged with Svendborg County forming the ne ...

until 1970, and

Funen County Funen County ( da, Fyns Amt) is a former county (Danish: ''amt'') in central Denmark, comprising the islands of Funen, Langeland, Tåsinge, Ærø, and approximately 90 other islands, of which only 25 are inhabited. The county was formed on 1 Ap ...

from 1970 until 1 January 2007, when Funen County became part of the

Region of Southern Denmark The Region of Southern Denmark ( da, Region Syddanmark, ; german: Region Süddänemark, ; frr, Regiuun Syddanmark) is an administrative region of Denmark established on Monday 1 January 2007 as part of the 2007 Danish Municipal Reform, which ab ...

. Odense has close associations with Hans Christian Andersen who is remembered above all for his fairy tales. He was born in the city in 1805 and spent his childhood years there. There has been human settlement in the Odense area for over 4,000 years, although the name was not mentioned in writing until 988, and by 1070, it had already grown into a thriving city.

Canute IV of Denmark Canute IV ( – 10 July 1086), later known as Canute the Holy ( da, Knud IV den Hellige) or Saint Canute (''Sankt Knud''), was King of Denmark from 1080 until 1086. Canute was an ambitious king who sought to strengthen the Danish monarchy, ...

, generally considered to be the last

Viking Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...

king, was murdered by unruly peasants in Odense's St Alban's Priory on 10 July 1086. Although the city was burned in 1249 following a royal rivalry, it quickly recovered and flourished as a centre of commerce in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

. After a period of decline, large-scale plans for development were made during the 18th century, which led to the rebuilding of

Odense Palace Odense Palace ( da, Odense Slot) in the city of Odense on the Danish island of Funen has its origins in a 15th-century monastery which passed to the Crown after the Reformation, and since then has served as an administrative building: in turn as ...

and the building of a canal to the

Port of Odense Odense Harbour ("Odense Havn") is the port of Odense, Denmark. Founded in , Denmark's only canal harbour is the country's seventh largest commercial port in terms of turnover. It consists primarily of Inner Harbour, at the end of Odense Canal, and ...

, facilitating trade. In 1865, one of the largest railway terminals in Denmark was built, further increasing the population and commerce, and by 1900, Odense had reached a population of 35,000. Odense's

Odinstårnet Odinstårnet (''The Odin Tower'') was an observation tower located on Bolbro Bakke (''Bolbro Hill'') in Odense, Denmark. History The tower, 175 metres (581 ft) tall, was built in 1934-1935 using spare materials from the construction o ...

was one of the tallest towers in Europe when built in 1935 but was destroyed by the

Nazis Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in N ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. The

University of Southern Denmark The University of Southern Denmark ( da, Syddansk Universitet, lit=South Danish University, abbr. SDU) is a university in Denmark that has campuses located in Southern Denmark and on Zealand. The university offers a number of joint programmes in ...

was established in 1966. In the present day, Odense remains the commercial hub of

, and has a notable shopping district with a diversity of stores. Several major industries are located in the city including the

Albani Brewery Albani Bryggerierne A/S (Eng.: ''Albani Breweries'') is a brewery located in Odense, Denmark, and the vast majority of its customers live on the island of Funen. The brewery was founded by MPharm Theodor Schiøtz in 1859. In 2000, the brewery me ...

and

GASA GASA Group (''Gartnernes Salgsforeninger''; "co-operative marketing organisations") is a Danish company that imports and exports flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Founded in 1929 as a fruit, flowers and vegetable auction co-operative, the mul ...

, Denmark's major dealer in vegetables, fruits and flowers. The city is home to Odense Palace, erected by King Frederik IV who died there in 1730, the

Odense Theatre Odense Teater is a theater in the city of Odense in Denmark. It dates back to 1796, which makes it Denmark's second oldest theater. It is one of the country's three main theaters. The venue is located in Jernbanegade, where it has three stages: ...

, the

Odense Symphony Orchestra The Odense Symphony Orchestra (Odense Symfoniorkester) is a Danish symphony orchestra based in Odense. The orchestra is resident in the Odense Concert Hall (inaugurated in 1982), specifically in the Carl Nielsen Hall (seating capacity of 1,212). ...

, and the Hans Christian Andersen Museum, situated in the house that was the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen. In sports, Odense has a number of football clubs including OB, BM, B1909, and B1913, the

Odense Bulldogs The Odense Bulldogs are a professional ice hockey team based in Odense, Denmark. They currently play in Ret&Råd Fyn Arena in the Bolbro area, as a part of the best Danish league Metal Ligaen, and they are furthermore the only hockey team from Fu ...

professional

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice h ...

team, and the city also hosts the H.C. Andersen Marathon. Odense is served by

Hans Christian Andersen Airport Hans Christian Andersen Airport ( da, Odense Lufthavn, also often referred to as ) is a small airport serving the Danish city of Odense. It is located in the village of Beldringe, some 9 km north-northwest of the city. The airport is named ...

and

Odense station Odense Station ( da, Odense Banegård Center) is the main railway station serving the city of Odense, Denmark. Situated as a major station on the Copenhagen–Fredericia/Taulov line, it is also the terminus of the Svendborgbanen railway line betwe ...

, which lies on the line between Copenhagen and the

Jutland Jutland ( da, Jylland ; german: Jütland ; ang, Ēota land ), known anciently as the Cimbric or Cimbrian Peninsula ( la, Cimbricus Chersonesus; da, den Kimbriske Halvø, links=no or ; german: Kimbrische Halbinsel, links=no), is a peninsula of ...

peninsula.

Etymology

The name Odense is derived from ''Odins Vé'', meaning "Odin's sanctuary", as the area was known as a sanctuary for worshippers of the Nordic god, Odin.

History

: ''For the Catholic ecclesiastical history, see

Roman Catholic bishopric of Odense The former Diocese of Odense ( da, Odense Stift) was a Roman Catholic diocese in Denmark which included the islands of Funen, Langeland, Tåsinge, Lolland, Falster, Als, and Ærø. Its episcopal see was located in Odense at St. Canute's Cathedral ...

Early history

Odense is one of Denmark's oldest cities. Archaeological excavations in the vicinity show proof of settlement for over 4,000 years since at least the Stone Age. The earliest community was centred on the higher ground between the Odense River to the south and Naesbyhoved Lake (now dry) to the north.

Nonnebakken Nonnebakken (literally, "The Nun Hill") is a hill in Odense, Denmark. It is the site of one of Denmark's six former Viking ring castles, built during the reign of Sweyn Forkbeard, who had forced his father Harold Bluetooth to leave the country a ...

, one of Denmark's former

Viking ring fortress A Viking ring fortress, or Trelleborg-type fortress, is a type of circular fort of a special design, built in Scandinavia during the Viking Age. Collectively, they may also be known as trelleborgs. These fortresses have a strictly circular shape, ...

es, lay to the south of the river. Today, Odense's Møntergården Museum has many artefacts related to the early Viking history in the Odense area. The Vikings built numerous fortifications along the river banks to defend it against invaders coming in from the coast. Skt

The city celebrated its thousandth anniversary in 1988, commemorating the first mention of the town's name in a letter dated 18 March 988 from the German Emperor Otto III which granted rights to Odense and neighbouring settlements. The first church in Odense appears to have been St Mary's, probably built in the late 12th century. The territory, previously part of the vast

Archbishopric of Hamburg The Archdiocese of Hamburg (Lat. ''Archidioecesis Hamburgensis''; Ger. Erzbistum Hamburg) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese in the north of Germany and covers the Federal States of Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein as well as ...

, was created a

Catholic diocese As of October 5, 2021, the Catholic Church in its entirety comprises 3,171 ecclesiastical jurisdictions, including over 652 Diocese#Archdiocese, archdioceses and 2,248 dioceses, as well as apostolic vicariates, apostolic exarchates, apostolic ad ...

in 988. The first recorded bishops of Odense were Odinkar Hvide and Reginbert, who was consecrated by Archbishop Æthelnoth of

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of ...

, in 1022. Recent excavations have shown that from the early 11th century, the town developed in the area around Albani Torv, Fisketorvet, Overgade and Vestergade. By 1070, Odense had already grown into a city of stature in Denmark.

, generally considered to be the last Viking king, was murdered by unruly peasants, discontent with the high taxes he imposed on the town, in Odense's St Alban's Priory on 10 July 1086. He was canonized in 1100. The priory no longer exists, although a church has been situated on the site since about 900. At the beginning of the 12th century, Benedictine monks from England founded St Canute's Abbey. It was here the English monk Ælnoth wrote Denmark's first literary work, ''Vita et Passio S. Canuti'' (The Life and Passion of St Canute). Canute's shrine in Odense Cathedral (which was attached to the priory) attracted pilgrims throughout the Middle Ages.

Middle Ages

In the Middle Ages, a number of churches and monasteries were built in the town. St Canute's Church (''Skt. Knuds Kirke''), now the cathedral, dates from the end of the 13th century and was closely connected to the Benedictine Order. The town's other old churches are St Mary's (''Vor Frue Kirke'') and St John's (''Skt. Hans Kirke'') with its adjacent monastery. Greyfriars Monastery (''Gråbrødre Kloster'') was founded by the

Franciscans , image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg , image_size = 200px , caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans , abbreviation = OFM , predecessor = , ...

in 1279. In 1247 Odense was burned by

Abel of Denmark Abel Valdemarsen (1218 – 29 June 1252) was Duke of Schleswig from 1232 to 1252 and King of Denmark from 1250 until his death in 1252. He was the son of Valdemar II by his second wife, Berengaria of Portugal, and brother to kings Eric IV and Chr ...

during conflicts with his brother King Erik IV. The cathedral had to be completely rebuilt. Nevertheless, the town continued to flourish as a commercial centre, and was charted in 1335. The city thrived economically during the Middle Ages, attracting many merchants and craftsman who traded their goods. In 1482 Bishop Karl Rønnov brought the German printer Johann Snell to Odense to print a short prayer book, ''Breviarium Ottoniense'', considered to be the first work to be printed in Scandinavia. In parallel Snell printed ''De obsidione et bello Rhodiano'', an account of the Turkish siege of the island of

Rhodes Rhodes (; el, Ρόδος , translit=Ródos ) is the largest and the historical capital of the Dodecanese islands of Greece. Administratively, the island forms a separate municipality within the Rhodes regional unit, which is part of the S ...

. After the

Danish Reformation Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish ance ...

, involving the suppression of the Catholic bishopric in 1536, the city enjoyed a sustained period of prosperity from the 1530s to the mid-17th century, becoming northern Funen's commercial centre. One of the main sources of income was the sale of cattle, providing substantial funds for the construction of fine half-timbered houses for the local merchants. The local nobility also participated in the city's development by building residences where they spent the winter months. But the city's prosperity came to an abrupt end in the late 1650s heavy taxes were imposed after the end of the Swedish Wars. A period of stagnation ensued until the end of the 18th century. From the 16th century the town was the meeting-place of several parliaments, and until 1805 Odense was the seat of the provincial assembly of Funen. By 1700 Odense's population was about 4,000.

Development

Denmark-odense-hans christian andersen-childhood home

Dramatic changes began in Odense in the 18th century to modernise the city and a great plan was drawn up for development. In 1720, Frederick IV ordered the rebuilding of Odense Palace, partly on the foundations of the 13th century

St. Hans’s Monastery ST, St, or St. may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Stanza, in poetry * Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band * Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise * Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy an ...

, and the construction of St Hans’s Church by the

Knights Hospitallers The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem ( la, Ordo Fratrum Hospitalis Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani), commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), was a medieval and early modern Catholic military order. It was headq ...

. An 8 kilometre (5.0 mi) long, 7.5 metre (25 ft) deep canal from

Odense Harbour Odense Harbour ("Odense Havn") is the port of Odense, Denmark. Founded in , Denmark's only canal harbour is the country's seventh largest commercial port in terms of turnover. It consists primarily of Inner Harbour, at the end of Odense Canal, and ...

to Odense Fjord was built between 1796 and 1806 to facilitate the growth of Odense as a port city, radically increasing its level of trade and population. Founded in 1796, Odense Teater is the first provincial theatre in Denmark and the country's second oldest.

Odense Central Library Odense Central Library (''Odense Centralbibliotek''; also known as Odense County Library) is the public library for Odense, Denmark, and central library of Funen Funen ( da, Fyn, ), with an area of , is the third-largest island of Denmark, af ...

was established in 1924 and removed to

in 1995. The

Odense Music Library Odense ( , , ) is the third largest city in Denmark (behind Copenhagen and Aarhus) and the largest city on the island of Funen. As of 1 January 2022, the city proper had a population of 180,863 while Odense Municipality had a population of 2 ...

contains Denmark's largest collection of phonograms. From the 1840s, the city enjoyed a period of rapid expansion beyond its traditional boundaries, becoming Denmark's second largest city. The city gates were demolished in 1851 and soon afterwards development extended to the area south of the river. Glove production, which had begun in the 18th century, developed into one of the most important industries while the harbour facilities were further expanded. In 1853 Denmark's first modern water and gas works were opened in Odense. Commerce was further boosted by the building of a railway across Funen in 1865, and Odense became one of Denmark's largest rail junctions. All this provided an ideal basis for industrialisation, attracting a wide range of industries including iron and metals, textiles, and food and beverages. Separate areas of the city were devoted to increased industrial and residential expansion, and the population of the city began to grow markedly; by 1900 it had 35,000 inhabitants.

Modern history

Odense's most famous landmark was

(''The Odin Tower'') constructed in 1935, as the second-tallest tower in Europe, only surpassed by the

Eiffel Tower The Eiffel Tower ( ; french: links=yes, tour Eiffel ) is a wrought-iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. Locally nicknamed "' ...

with its 177 meters. ''Odinstårnet'' was blown up by a Danish Nazi group in 1944 and has never been rebuilt. However, a miniature model now stands in Odinsparken in the area where the original was located. During the German occupation in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, Odense's general strike in August 1943 contributed to terminating collaboration with the Germans. Until the beginning of the Danish industrial revolution, Odense was also the second-largest city in modern Denmark, but has in recent times been overtaken by Aarhus. From the 1960s Odense increasingly became a cultural hub, with the establishment of a university in 1966 and the launching of trade shows, including the large Odense Congress Centre. In 1988 a major national television network, TV2, was established in Odense. In celebration of the thousandth anniversary in 1988, a forest,

Tusindårsskoven Tusindårsskoven (meaning "The Thousand Year Forest") is a forest in southwestern Odense, Funen, Denmark. Measuring approximately , it is located between the districts Bolbro Bolbro is a Western neighbourhood of Odense, Funen, Denmark. It contain ...

(meaning "The Thousand Year Forest") was planted. In 2005 the city celebrated the 200th anniversary of the birth of Hans Christian Andersen. The Odense Steel Shipyard (''Staalskibsvæeft''), which since 1996 had been Denmark's largest shipbuilding facility, closed in 2012 as a result of international competition. Opened in 1919 by A.P. Møller, it latterly produced container ships for Mærsk, the parent company. The Lindø site was sold to the Port of Odense (''Odense Havn'') who are developing the Lindø Industrial Park.

Geography and climate

Odense is situated in the northeastern centre of the island of Funen. By road, Odense is located north of

Svendborg Svendborg () is a town on the island of Funen in south-central Denmark, and the seat of Svendborg Municipality. With a population of 27,300 (1 January 2022), Svendborg is Funen's second largest city.Esbjerg Esbjerg (, ) is a seaport town and seat of Esbjerg Municipality on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula in southwest Denmark. By road, it is west of Kolding and southwest of Aarhus. With an urban population of 71,698 (1 January 2022)

and southeast of

Kolding Kolding () is a Danish seaport located at the head of Kolding Fjord in the Region of Southern Denmark. It is the seat of Kolding Municipality. It is a transportation, commercial, and manufacturing centre, and has numerous industrial companie ...

. Suburbs of Odense include Stige to the north,

Seden Seden is a large village and northeastern suburb of Odense, in Funen, Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivisio ...

, Bullerup and

Agedrup Agedrup is a village and northeastern suburb of Odense, Funen, Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type ...

to the northeast,

Blommenslyst Blommenslyst is a village, situated west of Odense, in Funen, Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = ...

to the west, Bellinge to the southwest, and Neder Holluf and Højby to the south. Tornoe Odense Fjord

The Odense River flows through Odense, to the south of the main shopping quarter. To the north of the city is the Odense Fjord, and to the northeast, along the 165 road to

Kerteminde Kerteminde (nickname: ''Min Amandas by'', i.e. ''My Amanda's town''), is a town in central Denmark, located in Kerteminde Municipality on the island of Funen. The town has a population of 6,042 (1 January 2022).

Kerteminde Fjord Kerteminde Fjord is a fjord of northeastern Funen, Denmark, south of the Odense Fjord. It stretches inland from the town of Kerteminde. The villages of Kertinge and Kolstrup are on the southeastern shore and Munkebo Munkebo is a town in centra ...

. The fjord is accessed through the narrow passage of Gabets, between Hals and Skoven, and is connected by canal to the Port of Odense. The small fishing village of Bregnor lies to the southeast of the passage. A controlling depth of is reported in the northern part of channel between the entrance to the fjord and Lindo Terminal Quay. The bight of Fyns Hoved to the northeast of the harbour curves south to form the approach to Odense Fjord. The eastern side of the bight between Fyns Hoved and Skoven, to the south, is irregular, with a beach and hills behind it, and to the south of the bight is the small, shallow

Korshavn Bay Korshavn Bay is a bay of northeastern Funen, Denmark, near the village of Nordskov. A small bay, it lies in the peninsula of Fyns Hoved, just to the south of the bight, and contains the Korshavn Light Korshavn may refer to: * Korshavn Bay, a bay ...

, with the Korshavn Light in the vicinity. Skoven is a bare, rugged peninsula, with Dalby Bay (Dalby Bugt) to the east. In the southwestern part of the Odense Fjord are the islands of Vigelsø and the 21 hectare Tornø, although the latter is connected to the mainland by a 300-metre (980 ft)-long causeway. Vigelsø is the largest island in the fjord at 132 hectares and is an important breeding ground for migratory birds. It is part of the

Special Area of Conservation A Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), also known as the ''Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora''. They are to protect the 220 habitats and a ...

''No. SPC 94, Odense Fjord'' under the EU

Habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

and

Birds Directive The Birds Directive (formally known as Council Directive 2009/147/EC on the conservation of wild birds) is the oldest piece of EU legislation on the environment and one of its cornerstones which was unanimously adopted in April 1979 as the Dire ...

s and has been subject to close monitoring, with the target to reach at least "good" ecological status by 2015. The island is low-lying, the highest point of Østerhoved only reaching six metres above the sea. There is a 25 hectare forest on the northern part of the island while the southern part consists of

coastal meadow Coastal meadows are meadows in the coastal zone, influenced by the sea. Under this definition, the salinity of the air and wind is usually high and the flora is dominated by salt-tolerant species. Some coastal meadows may be flooded by seawater ...

Climate

Odense has a

temperate oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ...

, classified as Köppen zone ''Cfb''. Mild summers feature average maximum temperatures exceeding 20 °C (68 °F), while winters are characterised by minimum temperatures dropping just below freezing. The hottest months on average are July and August with highs of 21 °C (70 °F) and daily mean temperatures of 17 °C (63 °F) and 16 °C (61 °F) respectively. These are also the wettest months, with August receiving and July of rain on average. Extratropical cyclones frequently affect the region, contributing to abundant precipitation. The coldest months are January and February, with a daily mean temperature of 0 °C (32 °F), and lows of −2 °C (28 °F) and −3 °C (26 °F) respectively. It is common for Odense Fjord to contain ice between January and March, and the entrance is kept clear by icebreakers. The tidal range in the fjord varies up to , and winds from the west and northeast may raise the water level by up to and winds from the east and southwest may lower it by up to . Climate data for the city are recorded at

( ICAO: EKOD).

Demographics

Odense has long been a populated town, and in 1670 it had a population of 3,808 people. By 1787 the population had grown to 5,363 to and 5,782 in 1801. The population grew markedly during the 19th century, reaching 8,709 inhabitants in 1834, 10,238 in 1845, 12,932 in 1855, 16,970 in 1870, 20,804 in 1880 and 30,268 in 1890. With improvements in communications by rail and via the port, the population of Odense grew dramatically in the early 20th century. The 1901 census recorded 40,138 people, growing to 47,224 in 1911, 61,969 in 1921 and 87,090 in 1935. During the Second World War, the population passed the 100,000 mark, reaching 103,107 in 1945. It continued to grow in the post war years, with 120,570 recorded in 1955 and 133,384 in 1965; the city reached a population of 139,490 people in 1970, a time when it was developing as a university city after Odense University was established in 1966. Residents began to move out of the centre into the suburban areas which were included in Odense Municipality after boundaries were redefined in 1970. As a result, the population declined slightly in the 1970s and 1980s, falling to 136,646 in 1981. It began climbing again in the late 1980s, and steadily grew to 144,518 in 1996 and 145,554 in 2004. In 2010 Odense had a population of 166,305 people. As of 2017 it had a population of 176,683.

Municipal administration

Odense Municipality is the administrative unit which covers not only the city of Odense but surrounding suburbs and villages. Odense City Council consists of 29 members, including a mayor. The former mayor of Odense,

Anker Boye Anker Boye (born 12 February 1950) is a Danish politician representing the Social Democratic Party. He is a painter by profession. Anker Boye was elected as mayor of Odense, Denmark's third-largest city, in 1993 and served in that capacity unt ...

, is a member of the

Social Democratic Party The name Social Democratic Party or Social Democrats has been used by many political parties in various countries around the world. Such parties are most commonly aligned to social democracy as their political ideology. Active parties Fo ...

. His first term was from 1993 to 2005 when he was defeated by Jan Boye, a

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

. He was re-elected in the 2009 election, forming a coalition with the

Red–Green Alliance In politics, a red–green alliance or red–green coalition is an alliance of "red" (often social-democratic or democratic socialist) parties with "green" (often green and/or occasionally agrarian) parties. The alliance is often based on commo ...

, the Socialist People's Party and the Social Democrats. The city council's motto is ''At lege er at leve'' (Playing is living) summarising a new approach addressing learning, innovation, development and growth with targets for 2017. Boye and his administration have been criticised for mismanaging the celebrations for the 200th anniversary of Hans Christian Andersen in 2005, above all for allegedly signing a contract with

Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939) is an American-born Swiss retired singer and actress. Widely referred to as the " Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", she rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue before ...

for a show which resulted in a deficit of 13 million kroner. In the 2013 municipal elections, Boye was successful in obtaining sufficient support from the Liberals and the left to ensure his continuation as mayor from the beginning of 2014. Boye announced in December 2016 that he would resign as mayor on 1 January 2017. The new mayor of Odense would be Peter Rahbæk Juel, also a member of the Social Democrats. Rahbæk Juel succeeded Boye as announced and continues to serve as mayor after the municipal elections in November 2017.

Economy

Odense is Funen's most important industrial and commercial centre, and the city's central location in Denmark makes it one of the national convention and congress centres. Enterprises include the

, ABB (Asea Brown Boveri), Kansas Workwear (clothing), Plus Pack (canning and containers) as well as manufacturers in the electrical sector such as Riegens / SG Lighting. In recent years there has been a general trend from manufacturing into the service sector. By 2002, 51% of the workforce was employed by the service sector while only 13% were working in industry. Lindø Wharf, once Denmark's largest shipbuilding facility, has now been converted into Lindø Industrial Park specialising in the production and storage of components for the offshore industries, creating a variety of new tenants. GASA, a large horticultural centre, supplies fruit, vegetables, flowers and plants to most of the country as well as for export. Established in 1988, Denmark's major commercial television channel TV 2 is based in Odense. The Rosengårdcentret shopping centre is located in the south-eastern part of Odense. The centre dates from 1971 and is the largest in Denmark with floor space and more than 150 shops as well as restaurants, a cinema and a fitness centre. A wide variety of shops can be found in the city centre, especially on Kongensgade and Vestergade and adjacent pedestrian streets. Denmark-Odense Zoo

Tourism is an important source of income for the city. In 2008 Odense Municipality was listed seventh in Denmark for turnover on tourism, reaching 1.6 million Danish kroner for the year. In 2011,

Odense Zoo Odense Zoo is a zoological garden in Odense, Denmark. At the time of its opening in 1930, the zoo had two apes, a peacock, a deer, a mule, magpies, and guinea pigs. Today, the zoo has animals from all over the world, covering around 100 species ...

was Funen's most popular tourist attraction and the eleventh most popular in Denmark with 405,913 visitors. The zoo was founded in 1930 and covers an area of and has roughly 2,000 animals, covering 147

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

. In 2001, Odense Zoo inaugurated a DKK 60 million "Oceanium" featuring South American animal life. Nightlife in the city culminates in Brandts Passage, which contains numerous restaurants, bars and cafes, such as the Envy-Lounge, Australian Bar, Brandts Kladefabrik and Cafe Biografen. The jazz club, Jazzhus Dexter, is situated on the Vindegade. Other notable nightlife venues include Franck A, Froggys and Club Retro. Restaurants include the Cuckoos Nest bar and restaurant, the Brasserie Klitgaard, the Den Gamle Kro, set in a 17th-century half-timbered house, Kvægtorvet, run by leading chef Klavs Styrbæk who serves fresh fish and meat dishes, which is now closed, and the Under Lindetraet in an 18th-century cottage opposite the Hans Christian Andersen house which serves Franco-Danish cuisine. Hotels of note include the

Radisson SAS HC Andersen Hotel Comwell H.C. Andersen Hotel is a hotel in Odense, Denmark. Formerly managed by Radisson Hotels as Radisson SAS H.C. Andersen Hotel and then Radisson Blu H.C. Andersen Hotel, it is named after Hans Christian Andersen, the most famous figure of the c ...

, the First Hotel Grand with its brasserie bar, the 68-room Old English-style Clarion Collection Hotel Plaza, City Hotel, which is in close proximity to the Hans Christian Andersen museum, and the 140-room Danhostel Odense City.

Landmarks

, a hill in the Odense area, is the site of one of Denmark's six former

Viking ring castles A Viking ring fortress, or Trelleborg-type fortress, is a type of circular fort of a special design, built in Scandinavia during the Viking Age. Collectively, they may also be known as trelleborgs. These fortresses have a strictly circular shape, ...

, built during the reign of Sweyn Forkbeard, who had forced his father

Harold Bluetooth Harald "Bluetooth" Gormsson ( non, Haraldr Blátǫnn Gormsson; da, Harald Blåtand Gormsen, died c. 985/86) was a king of Denmark and Norway. He was the son of King Gorm the Old and of Thyra Dannebod. Harald ruled as king of Denmark from c. 95 ...

to leave the country and seek refuge by the

Jomsvikings The Jomsvikings were purportedly a legendary order of Viking mercenaries or conquerors of the 10th and 11th centuries. Though reputed to be staunchly dedicated to the worship of the Old Norse gods, they would allegedly fight for any lord who ...

in Wollin (modern Poland) in around 975. The fort provided its occupier the command of the Odense River passing next to the hill. The archaeological remains of the fort were heavily damaged when a building for the Odd Fellow

lodge Lodge is originally a term for a relatively small building, often associated with a larger one. Lodge or The Lodge may refer to: Buildings and structures Specific * The Lodge (Australia), the official Canberra residence of the Prime Ministe ...

was constructed on the site during the late nineteenth century.

Churches

Odense is the

see See or SEE may refer to: * Sight - seeing Arts, entertainment, and media * Music: ** ''See'' (album), studio album by rock band The Rascals *** "See", song by The Rascals, on the album ''See'' ** "See" (Tycho song), song by Tycho * Television * ...

of the

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is c ...

. Saint Canute's Cathedral ( da, Sankt Knuds Kirke) was formerly connected with the great

Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

monastery of the same name, and is one of the largest and finest buildings of its kind in Denmark. Originally dating from 1081 to 1093, the church was rebuilt in the 13th century in brick in a pure

Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...

style. Under the altar lies

Canute Cnut (; ang, Cnut cyning; non, Knútr inn ríki ; or , no, Knut den mektige, sv, Knut den Store. died 12 November 1035), also known as Cnut the Great and Canute, was King of England from 1016, King of Denmark from 1018, and King of Norwa ...

(Danish: ''Knud''), the patron saint of Denmark and his brother on public display. A large fragment of

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...

cloth is displayed next to the two skeletons. The cathedral also boasts one of Denmark's most remarkable altarpieces, a magnificent

triptych A triptych ( ; from the Greek adjective ''τρίπτυχον'' "''triptukhon''" ("three-fold"), from ''tri'', i.e., "three" and ''ptysso'', i.e., "to fold" or ''ptyx'', i.e., "fold") is a work of art (usually a panel painting) that is divided ...

by Claus Berg. Kings Jens and

Christian II Christian II (1 July 1481 – 25 January 1559) was a Scandinavian monarch under the Kalmar Union who reigned as King of Denmark and Norway, from 1513 until 1523, and Sweden from 1520 until 1521. From 1513 to 1523, he was concurrently Duke ...

are buried in the city. St Alban's Church, built in the

Neogothic Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...

style and consecrated in 1908, is the Roman Catholic church of Odense. Its steeple is high. St Mary's Church (''Vor Frue Kirke'' or Our Lady's Church), built in the 13th century and restored in 1851–1852 and again in 1864, contains a carved 16th-century altarpiece by Claus Berg of

Lübeck Lübeck (; Low German also ), officially the Hanseatic City of Lübeck (german: Hansestadt Lübeck), is a city in Northern Germany. With around 217,000 inhabitants, Lübeck is the second-largest city on the German Baltic coast and in the state ...

. St John's Church (''Sankt Hans Kirke''), first mentioned in 1295, was built by the

Knights Hospitaller The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem ( la, Ordo Fratrum Hospitalis Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani), commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), was a medieval and early modern Catholic military order. It was headq ...

, also known as the Order of Saint John. Not much of the original building remains as it was rebuilt in 1636 and subsequently restored. Built of red brick with horizontal decorations on the chancel wall, it has large Gothic windows. The date of 1496 on one of the bells in the step-ribbed tower may well be the year the church was completed. The tower is adjacent to Odense Palace which was originally built as a monastery. Ansgars Church was the first church to be built in Odense since the Middle Ages. Completed in 1902, it was designed by Niels Jacobsen in the late Romanesque style in red brick on granite foundations. The cross-shaped interior is complemented by a spired bell-tower, high. The

Peace Church Peace churches are Christian churches, groups or communities advocating Christian pacifism or Biblical nonresistance. The term historic peace churches refers specifically only to three church groups among pacifist churches: * Church of the Brethr ...

(''Fredenskirke'') consecrated in 1920 was so named in gratitude for the end of the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. The church was the work of

Peder Vilhelm Jensen-Klint Peder Vilhelm Jensen-Klint (21 June 1853 – 1 December 1930) was a Danish architect, designer, painter and architectural theorist, best known for designing Grundtvig's Church in Copenhagen, generally considered to be one of the most importan ...

who went on to design Copenhagen's

Grundtvig's Church Grundtvig's Church ( da, Grundtvigs Kirke) is located in the Bispebjerg district of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is a rare example of expressionist church architecture. Due to its originality, it is one of the best known churches in the city. History ...

City Hall

Odense's City Hall (''Odense Rådhus''), with its medieval Italian look, was designed by

Johan Daniel Herholdt Johan Daniel Herholdt (13 August 1818 – 11 April 1902) was a Danish architect, professor and royal building inspector. He worked in the Historicist style and had a significant influence on Danish architecture during the second half of the 19th a ...

and

Carl Lendorf Carl William Frederik Lendorf (13 December 1839 - 29 September 1918) was a Danish architect and historicist who worked primarily in Odense. He also designed Copenhagen's 1898 St Thomas' Church. Biography He was born in 1839 in Copenhagen, the son ...

in the

Historicist Historicism is an approach to explaining the existence of phenomena, especially social and cultural practices (including ideas and beliefs), by studying their history, that is, by studying the process by which they came about. The term is widely u ...

style. Completed in 1883, it combines red masonry with sandstone decorations, stepped gables and a saw-tooth course. It stands on the site of a smaller building from 1480. In 1937

Bent Helveg-Møller Bent may refer to: Places * Bent, Iran, a city in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran * Bent District, an administrative subdivision of Iran * Bent, Netherlands, a village in the municipality of Rijnwoude, the Netherlands * Bent County, Colorad ...

won the competition for the building's enlargement. The tower over the main entrance was torn down in 1942 but was not rebuilt. As work was delayed during the war, the extension was not completed until 1955. In conjunction with Hans Christian Andersen's 200th anniversary in 2005, comprehensive renovation work was completed on the building's interiors, including the entrance halls, meeting rooms, banqueting hall and council chamber.

Palaces and theatres

was erected by Frederick IV, who died there in 1730. Now an administrative building, it stands on the site of ''Sankt Hans Kloster'', a 15th-century monastery which was transferred to the Crown in 1536. The main white Baroque wing with 13 bays was designed by J.C. Krieger for Frederick IV and completed in 1723. Set in a park, the King's Garden was constructed to a French design by

Johan Cornelius Krieger Johan Cornelius Krieger (1683–1755) was a Danish architect and landscape architect, who from the 1720s served as both the country's chief architect, and head of the royal gardens. Krieger oversaw the construction of Fredensborg Palace and its ...

. Odense Teater, first established in 1796, is Denmark's second oldest theatrical enterprise and one of the country's three main theatres. The original building was on Sortebrødre Torv was used until 1914 when a new building designed by Jacobsen was opened on Jernbanegade. It has three stages: ''Store Scene'', ''Værkstedet'', and ''Foyerscenen''. The theatre also has stages in the former sugar factory ''Sukkerkogeriet'', where it runs the first drama school outside Copenhagen established in 1941. It is notable in theatrical history for staging the première of Henrik Ibsen's first contemporary realist drama ''

The Pillars of Society ''The Pillars of Society'' (or "Pillars of the Community"; original Norwegian title: ''Samfundets støtter'') is an 1877 play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. Ibsen had great trouble with the writing of this play. The ending i ...

'' on 14 November 1877. Teater Momentum or Teater uden Ryglæn, publicly funded by the municipal government and the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, is also of note. Established in 2005, it signs on a new director each year who is charged with creating the "volume" of the year with a set of plays and performers. It also puts on other cultural entertainment including concerts, debates, lectures and poetry.

(Odense Symfoniorkester), one of Denmark's five regional orchestras, was formally established in 1946. The orchestra is based in Odense Concert Hall, which was inaugurated in 1982. Most of the orchestra’s concerts are given in the Carl Nielsen Hall, a seating capacity of 1,212 and a large 46-stops organ built by Marcussen & Son. First established in 1948,

Funen Opera The Funen Opera ( da, Den Fynske Opera) is an opera company which performs in the theatre located on Filosofgangen 19 in Odense, Denmark. It opened in 1948 with a successful presentation of ''La Bohème ''La bohème'' (; ) is an opera in four ...

(''Den Fynske Opera'') was reopened in 1996 after a period of closure. It specializes in presenting contemporary operas in Danish.

Hans Christian Andersen connections

Remembered above all for his fairy tales, Hans Christian Andersen was born in Odense in 1805. It is thought his birthplace is the small yellow house on the corner of Hans Jensens Stræde and Bangs Boder in the old town. In 1908 the house was opened as the Hans Christian Andersen Museum. It documents his life from his childhood years as the son of a struggling shoemaker, to his schooling, career as an author, and later life, with artefacts providing an insight into his acquaintances and adventures. Andersen's childhood home is on Munkemøllestræde not far from the cathedral. He lived in the little half-timbered house from the age of two until he was 14. Opened as a museum in 1930, the house contains an exhibition of the cobbling tools used by his father and other items based on Andersen's own descriptions. Throughout the city there are numerous statues and sculptures representing characters from the stories of Hans Christian Andersen. They include the Steadfast Tin Soldier, the Mermaid, the Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep, the Toad, the Darning Needle, the Emperor's New Clothes, the Sea Horse, the Paper Boat, the Flying Trunk and the Wild Swans. There is also a distinctive statue of Andersen in ''Eventyrparken'' (The Fairy Tale Park) beside the cathedral. Sculpted by

Louis Hasselriis Louis Hasselriis (12 January 1844 – 20 May 1912) was a Danish sculptor known for his public statuary. Early life and education Hasselriis was born in Hillerød, the son of Herman Edvard Louis H (1815–1907) and Sophie Frederikke Schondel ( ...

in 1888, it shows the storyteller with a book in his hand, ready to entertain onlookers with his fairy tales.

Museums

The museums in Odense are mainly governed by the Odense City Museums, a department of the municipal government. Funen's Art Museum (Fyns Kunstmuseum), formerly The Museum of Funen's Abbey, is one of Denmark's oldest art museums, dating to 1885. It contains the principal works by Jens Juel, Dankvart Dreyer, P.S. Krøyer and

H. A. Brendekilde Hans Andersen Brendekilde (7 April 1857 – 30 March 1942) was a Danish painter. Biography Brendekilde grew up in Braendekilde, a small village close to Odense on the island of Funen. He was a distant relation of Hans Christian Andersen, the fam ...

. The open-air

The Funen Village The Funen Village ( da, Den Fynske Landsby) is an open-air museum located in the neighborhood of Fruens Bøge in Odense, Denmark. History The Funen Village was founded as a public works project in 1942, during the German occupation of Denmark. ...

museum (''Den Fynske Landsby'') tries to emulate what country life was like in Denmark at the time of Andersen's life and contains houses of historical Odense. The

Carl Nielsen Museum The Carl Nielsen Museum (''Carl Nielsen Museet'') is a museum in Odense, Denmark. The museum is located as an extension on the northwestern side of the Odense Concert Hall . History The museum operates as a part of the Odense City Museums. The ...

is dedicated to the life of

Carl Nielsen Carl August Nielsen (; 9 June 1865 – 3 October 1931) was a Danish composer, conductor and violinist, widely recognized as his country's most prominent composer. Brought up by poor yet musically talented parents on the island of Funen, he ...

and his wife, the sculptor

Anne Marie Carl-Nielsen Anne Marie Carl-Nielsen (born Anne Marie Brodersen; 21 June 1863 – 21 February 1945) was a Danish sculptor. Her preferred themes were domestic animals and people, with an intense, naturalistic portrayal of movements and sentiments. She al ...

. It documents his life from his childhood in the town of Nr. Lyndelse, to his career and success on the European music scene, with his violins, his bugle and his grand piano on display, as well as a number of his musical scores, including six symphonies, three concertos, two operas, and chamber music and numerous songs. Odense-Moentergaarden

The Møntergården cultural history museum of Odense is one of the most notable remaining

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD ...

buildings of the city, built in 1646 by the nobleman Falk Gøye. It has many artefacts related to the early Viking history in Odense, and is named after the narrow street Møntestræde adjacent to the building, where a coin workshop once operated in around 1420. Located in a courtyard of half-timbered houses, the museum also has exhibits on Funen's ancient history, as well as Odense in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The

Danish Railway Museum The Danish Railway Museum ( da, Danmarks Jernbanemuseum) is the national railway museum of Denmark, located in the city of Odense. Established in 1975, it is situated in a former engine shed adjacent to the city's main railway station. It is the ...

is the national

railway museum A railway museum is a museum that explores the history of all aspects of rail related transportation, including: locomotives ( steam, diesel, and electric), railway cars, trams, and railway signalling equipment. They may also operate historic ...

of Denmark, the largest such museum in Scandinavia. It was established in 1975 in a former engine shed adjacent to the city's main railway station and has an area of over , with some 50 locomotives and railway carriages on 20 rail tracks from all periods of Danish rail history. The oldest steam engine dates back to 1869. The Brandts Museum of Photographic Art (Museet for Fotokunst) in Odense is the only national Danish art museum dedicated specifically to

photographic art Fine-art photography is photography created in line with the vision of the photographer as artist, using photography as a medium for creative expression. The goal of fine-art photography is to express an idea, a message, or an emotion. This stand ...

. It was founded on 13 September 1985 as part of the Brandts International Centre for Art and Culture and opened its own exhibition space in 1987. The Media Museum of Odense documents the history of the freedom of speech in Denmark since 1849, and the development of the printing press and the history of Danish broadsheet ''

Berlingske ''Berlingske'', previously known as ''Berlingske Tidende'' (, ''Berling's Times''), is a Danish national daily newspaper based in Copenhagen. It is considered a newspaper of record for Denmark. First published on 3 January 1749, ''Berlingske'' ...

''.

Education

Odense University

Odense University, established by law in 1964, was the first of three new provincial universities created to relieve pressure on the universities of Copenhagen University, Copenhagen and Aarhus University, Aarhus. Teaching began in 1966. By the end of the 20th century, there were 11,000 students and some 5,000 employees. Before it became part of the

in 1998, it had four faculties covering arts, medicine, and natural and social sciences. The university building which opened in 1971 was designed by KHR Arkitekter.

University of Southern Denmark

The University of Southern Denmark (''Syddansk Universitet'') was established in 1998 as a merger of Odense University, the Southern Denmark Business School (''Handelshøjskole Syd''), the Southern Engineering School (''Ingeniørhøjskole Syd'') and the South Jutland University Centre (''Sydjysk Universitetscenter''). The main campus is in Odense but there are also departments in Copenhagen, Esbjerg, Kolding, Slagelse and Sønderborg. With some 26,000 students (2012), the establishment is Denmark's third largest university. The Faculty of Engineering (''Det Tekniske Fakultet'') combines several institutions: ''Odense Maskinteknikum'' (a mechanical engineering college which was established in 1905 and in 1962 became the Southern Engineering School), the Mads Clausen Institute and the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Institute.

Other educational institutions

Odense also includes departments of the University College Lillebaelt headquartered in Vejle. The university is the result of a merger between several further education institutions on Funen and in Jelling, Vejle and

Svendborg Svendborg () is a town on the island of Funen in south-central Denmark, and the seat of Svendborg Municipality. With a population of 27,300 (1 January 2022), Svendborg is Funen's second largest city. Odense's most important football clubs are Odense Boldklub (OB), BK Marienlyst (BM), B1909, and B1913. OB has a history going back to 1887 when it was founded as ''Odense Kricketklub'' (Odense Cricket Club). It changed its name to Odense Boldklub in 1893 after football was included in its activities. The club has won three national championships, and five cup titles. The club play their home matches at Odense Stadium, also known as Odense Stadion. BK Marienlyst, founded in 1922, are in the Danish 2nd Division, and play their home matches at Marienlystcentret, which has a capacity of 1,200. The club also has a notable volleyball team. RC Odense represents the city at Rugby union, rugby in combination with Lindø RSC. The

are a professional

team based in Odense. They play in the top Danish League Metal Ligaen, as the only team from Funen. In tennis, Tennis Club Odense is located near the Odense River. The country's largest tennis centre is due to open in Marienlyst in 2014. The H.C. Andersen Marathon is held annually in Odense. On Feast of the Ascension#Sunday observance, Ascension Sunday, children can participate in Eventyrløbet (the Fairy Tale Run) with circuits from 2.5 to 10 km. There are many smaller sports clubs in Odense covering athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, climbing, cycling, fencing, football, golf, gymnastics, handball, jujitsu, karate, riding, roller-skating, shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, yoga and wrestling as well as several specialising in facilities for people with disabilities.

Esports

In early December 2017, the ESL (company), ESL Pro League Season 6 finals were held in the 4,000-seat Arena Fyn. The event would return to Odense for its Season 8 finals, won by the hometown heroes Astralis, in December 2018. The season 10 offline finals of ESL Pro League were also held in the city.

Transport

Boat

The

consists of three main basins and a number of facilities along the canal, with quays measuring roughly in length in total. Vessels up to a length of and a draft of are facilitated in the port. The wharf for tankers is situated outside the harbour on the southern side of the canal, with facilities for tankers, general cargo ships, bulk, and liquefied petroleum gas, LPG ships, and has a depth of .

Great Belt Bridge

Accessibility to Odense was greatly increased when the ferry service between the two main Danish islands, Zealand (Denmark), Zealand and Funen, was replaced by the Great Belt Bridge – opened in 1997 for rail traffic, 1998 for road traffic. When the bridge opened, it was the second longest suspension bridge in the world. Aarhus can be reached by train in 1 hour and 33 minutes while, thanks to the Great Belt Bridge, trains to

can take as little as an hour and a quarter.

Rail, bus and tram

Odense's main railway station Odense station, Odense Station lies on the line between Copenhagen and

, the peninsular mainland. International trains connect the town with Hamburg in Germany. Local and regional trains link Odense to the rest of Denmark. A separate passenger railway, Svendborgbanen, operates between Odense and Svendborg. Formerly, railways connected Odense to most of Funen's coastal cities, but these links were closed down in the 1950s and 1960s. Today, these regional routes are served by buses operated by the public company FynBus, which also operates the town's municipal bus service, connecting the town's suburbs to the city centre. On 28 May 2022, Odense Letbane, Odense’s new tram line entered service. A 14.5 km double-track line runs from Tarup in the northwest to the station, Syddansk Universitet, a hospital, and Hjallese in the south, with 26 stops. Possible extensions are under consideration.

Road

By road, Odense connects to Zealand and Jutland with the Funish Motorway (''Fynske Motorvej''), a section of the European route E20, E20, and to Svendborg on the southern part of Funen by way of the Svendborg Motorway (''Svendborgmotorvejen''), which comprises the Danish Route 9. Other, smaller routes connect Odense to the rest of Funen, with direct links to all coastal towns. In 2015 plannings were established on Denmark's first Diverging diamond interchange (DDI), called "Dynamisk Ruderanlæg", upgrading the diamond interchange number 52 on Fynske Motorvej (E20), crossing the roadways of Assesvej by following the American design of DDIs at On 17 September 2017, the redesigned interchange opened for traffic. Computer aided simulation and land usage resulted the DDI as the adequate solution.

Plane

Odense is served by Odense Airport, which operates flights to tourist resorts, mainly in the summer months.

Cycling Initiatives in Odense

In 2016, the city of Odense, Denmark implemented a new form of technology to allow for more efficient bike travel. Often, when it is raining heavily, cyclists have had to sit in the rain for long periods of time at traffic lights, and this disincentives them to cycle to work that day. To fix this problem, Odense has placed rain sensors in traffic lights along their super bike highways. These sensors interact with motion detectors which "allow the system to register when bikes are within 70 meters of the intersection." They then automatically prolong the green light. The intersection includes a small sign that explains the system to the cyclists, and when a light goes on, they can see the system is functioning. This technology allows cyclists to experience up to 20 seconds longer of green light, and makes their overall journey more efficient, safer, and dryer. The Cycling Embassy of Denmark is the organization spearheading this research and initiatives. While there isn't a lot of criticism due to the cyclist culture that is already fairly dominant in Odense, those who commute in cars would be naturally upset by the longer red lights. However, the Embassy believes that there should not be too much pushback because of the Social equity, equity issue involved with being exposed to the rain versus being sheltered in a car. It will also only be utilized up to 3 times a month. This initiative does not only optimize the corridor flow and speed for cyclists, it reinforces the "green wave" . The green wave is known as the ability to cycle through several intersections without having to stop. This is the overall thought the Cycling Embassy had in installing rain sensors, as they hope to implement the technology in other intersections of the city, creating an efficient city-wide system of sustainable transit. Eventually, riding a bike will be easier than riding a car.

Healthcare

Denmark-Odense University Hospital-patient hotel

The Odense University Hospital (OUH), established in 1912, is of major regional importance, not only for healthcare, but for conducting research in collaboration with the Institute of Clinical Research of the University of Southern Denmark. OUH is the largest hospital unit in Denmark and the largest employer in Odense, and as of 2006 it had 1200 beds and a staff of 7700 people, of which 1300 people were doctors. Today there are about 10,000 employees covering all fields of medicine. The hospital tower block is high, has 15 floors and is Odense's tallest building. It is the principal hospital for the northern part of Funen but also takes patients from all over Denmark, as it has highly specialized units within hand replantation surgery and special neuro-radiological intervention. The Hans Christian Andersen Children’s Hospital, part of the OUH, is the only paediatric department on the island of Funen, and also conducts research into nutrition and gastrointestinal diseases, asthma and allergies, hormonal diseases and others. As of 2013, the children's hospital had consisted of seven wards and had 377 employees, with about 10,000 admissions and 25,000 annual outpatient visits annually. A new DKK 6.3 billion hospital is under construction in closer proximity to the University of Southern Denmark, scheduled to be completed in 2018. The hospital will have a floor area of . Odense is home to several other private hospitals, including Privathospitalet H. C. Andersen Klinikken, Privathospitalet Hunderup, and Privathospitalet Mariahjemmet.

Media

Odense is the centre for media activity on Funen, and the hub of the regional network. Its principal newspaper is ''Fyens Stiftstidende'', a daily broadsheet owned by Den Fynske Bladfond and published by Fyens Stiftstidende A/S, which was established on 3 January 1772. Until 1841 the newspaper was known as ''Kongelig Priviligerede Odense Adresse-Contoirs Efterretninger'', and on 13 April 1993 the newspaper changed its 221-year-old tradition as a midday newspaper, to a morning paper. In 2013, it had an average circulation of 47,738, down from some 60,500 in 2005. The editor in chief, Per Westergård, chairs the board of the Centre for Journalism (University of Southern Denmark), Centre for Journalism at the University of Southern Denmark, one of the two university journalism departments in Denmark. Denmark's largest university press, the University Press of Southern Denmark, is also based in Odense. It was founded in 1966 as ''Odense University Press'' (''Odense Universitetsforlag''), and its authors are mainly academics from the University of Southern Denmark. The television station TV 2, fully owned by the state since 2003, is based in Odense. The station began broadcasting on 1 October 1988 as a privately owned company, thereby ending the television monopoly previously exercised by the Danmarks Radio (DR (broadcaster), DR). Since 2007, TV 2 has had about 1,000 employees. Now operating six channels, TV 2 now broadcasts over 40,000 hours of television programmes per year.

Notable residents

* Note: ''Place of birth'' is shown for notables born in the wider Odense Municipality Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester 2015

Nobility

(c.1042–1086), also known as ''Canute the Saint'' and ''Canute the Holy'' * Charles I, Count of Flanders (1084–1127) also known as ''Charles the Good'', son of

* Ludvig Rosenkrantz (1628–1685) noble, military officer and land owner; settled in Norway * Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester (born 1946) wife of Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II.

Public thought and politics

* Jørgen Sadolin (c.1490–1559) a Danish Reformation in Denmark–Norway and Holstein, reformer * Frants Berg (1504–1591) clergyman, rector in Odense 1581, Diocese of Oslo, Bishop of Oslo 1548 to 1580 * Jacob B. Winslow (1669–1760) a Danish-born French anatomist. * Ida Falbe-Hansen (1849–1922) a Danish educator, philologist and women's activist * Anna Lohse (1866–1942), teacher and women's rights activist * Lise Østergaard (1924–1996) a psychologist and politician * Niels Helveg Petersen (1939–2017) politician, Minister of Foreign Affairs 1993 to 2000 * Vikram Kaur Khalsa (born 1943 as ''Kristen Lindholm''), former actress, now Sikh theologian * Bendt Bendtsen (born 1954) a Danish politician and Member of the European Parliament, MEP from 2009 until 2019 * Lars Christian Lilleholt (born 1965) politician, former Minister of Energy, Utilities and Climate. * Jeanette Varberg (born 1978) archaeologist, curator at the National Museum of Denmark

The Arts

* Johan Frederik Schultz (1756–1817) book printer and publisher * Wilhelm Bendz (1804–1832) a Danish painter of genre works and portraits * Hans Christian Andersen (1805–1875), novelist, poet, fairy tale and short story writer * Carl Frederik Aagaard (1833–1895) landscape painter and decorative artist * Julius Paulsen (1860–1940) painter, strong connections with the Skagen Painters *

(1865 in Sortelung – 1931) musician, conductor, violinist, Denmark's most prominent composer. * Holger Jacobsen (1876–1960) architect, best known work is Stærekassen * Bodil Kjer (1917–2003) actress, her talent and charisma made her a Prima donna, Primadonna *Dagmar Orlamundt (1863–1939), actress * Ove Sprogøe (1919–2004), actor, film star * Morten Grunwald (1934–2018) a Danish actor, stage director and theatre manager * Kim Larsen (1945-2018), a Danish rock and pop musician * Jens Galschiøt (born 1954), sculptor, moved to Odense in 1973 * Ulrich Thomsen (born 1963 in Næsby) actor * Claes Bang (born 1967) a Danish actor and musician * Trine Dyrholm (born 1972) actress, singer and songwriter * Roland Møller (born 1972) actor * Johan Kobborg (born 1972) ballet dancer, choreographer, director and visual artist * MØ (born 1988 in Ubberud), stage name of ''KMAØ Andersen'', pop star, songwriter * Katja Stokholm (born 1996), model and beauty pageant titleholder, Miss Universe Denmark, Miss Universe Denmark 2019

Business

* Erich Erichsen (1752-1837) a Danish merchant and ship-owner * Johan Frederik Schultz (1756–1817) a Danish book printer and publisher. * Carl Frederik Tietgen (1829–1901), industrialist, financier and banker * Niels Jacobsen (1865-1935) architect and politician, Chairman of The Lego Group, worked and died in Odense * Kurt Østervig (1912–1986) trained as a shipbuilder became a furniture designer

Sport

* Edmund Hansen (cyclist), Edmund Hansen (1900–1995) tandem cyclist, silver medallist at the 1924 Summer Olympics * Abraham Kurland (1912–1999), wrestler, won silver at the 1932 Summer Olympics boycotted the Berlin Olympics, and competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics * Jytte Hansen (1932–2015) breaststroke swimmer at the 1948 Summer Olympics, 1948, 1952 Summer Olympics, 1952 & 1956 Summer Olympics * Ib Solvang Hansen (1934–1978) a pro. wrestler, known as ''Eric the Red'' * Richard Møller Nielsen (1937 in Ubberud – 2014) football player and manager, coached the Danish national football team that won the UEFA Euro 1992 * John Danielsen (born 1939) former footballer, 362 club caps and 27 for Denmark national football team, Denmark * Ole Bjørnmose (1944 in Strib - 2006) footballer over 300 club caps in the Bundesliga * Lars Høgh (born 1959) football goalkeeper 817 club caps with Odense BK * Inger Pors Olsen (born 1966), rower * Þorvaldur Örlygsson (born 1966) an Icelandic footballer; 363 club caps and 41 for Iceland national football team, Iceland * Anja Andersen (born 1969) former handball player, team gold medallist at the 1996 Summer Olympics and coach * Niels Frederiksen (born 1970) football manager of Brøndby IF * Thomas Helveg (born 1971) 1994 Danish Football Player of the Year, Player of the Year 480 club caps and 108 for Denmark national football team, Denmark * Nicki Pedersen (born 1977) three time world champion motorcycle speedway rider * Allan Simonsen (racing driver), Allan Simonsen (1978–2013), a Danish racing driver, died at 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans, Le Mons * Stephan Mølvig (born 1979) a rower, team gold medallist at the 2004 Summer Olympics * Lars Jacobsen (born 1979) retired footballer 414 club caps and 81 for Denmark national football team, Denmark * Hans Andersen (speedway rider), Hans Andersen (born 1980) motorcycle speedway rider, twice Speedway World Cup winner * Helle Frederiksen (born 1981) pro. triathlete competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics * Frederik Klokker (born 1983), cricketer * Martin Damsbo (born 1985) compound archery competitor world ranking of 2 in 2010 * Rikke Møller Pedersen (born 1989) breaststroke swimmer, team bronze medallist at the 2016 Summer Olympics, world record holder in the 200 m breaststroke * Caroline Wozniacki (born 1990), tennis player world No. 1 on the WTA Tour in 2018 * Viktor Axelsen (born 1994), badminton player bronze medallist at the 2016 Summer Olympics, gold medallist at the 2020 Summer Olympics and the 2017 men's singles world champion.

Twin cities

Odense has 28 twin cities. For a full list of twin cities, see Odense Municipality. Several of them are stated below:

References

Bibliography * * * * * * * * * *

External links

The City of Odense

FynBus – Municipal and regional bus operator
* {{good article Odense, Municipal seats of the Region of Southern Denmark Municipal seats of Denmark Cities and towns in the Region of Southern Denmark Viking Age populated places Hans Christian Andersen Populated places in Funen