36 Facts About Odense

Odense is the third largest city in Denmark and the largest city on the island of Funen.

Odense has close associations with Hans Christian Andersen who is remembered above all for his fairy tales.

Odense was born in the city in 1805 and spent his childhood years there.

Odense's Odinstarnet was one of the tallest towers in Europe when built in 1935 but was destroyed by the Nazis during World War II.

In sports, Odense has a number of football clubs including OB, BM, B1909, and B1913, the Odense Bulldogs professional ice hockey team, and the city hosts the H C Andersen Marathon.

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Odense is served by Hans Christian Andersen Airport and Odense station, which lies on the line between Copenhagen and the Jutland peninsula.

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

The first church in Odense appears to have been St Mary's, probably built in the late 12th century.

The first recorded bishops of Odense were Odinkar Hvide and Reginbert, who was consecrated by Archbishop Æthelnoth of Canterbury, in 1022.

Canute's shrine in Odense Cathedral attracted pilgrims throughout the Middle Ages.

In 1247 Odense was burned by Abel of Denmark during conflicts with his brother King Erik IV.

Until the beginning of the Danish industrial revolution, Odense was the second-largest city in modern Denmark, but has in recent times been overtaken by Aarhus.

Odense is situated in the northeastern centre of the island of Funen.

Suburbs of Odense include Stige to the north, Seden, Bullerup and Agedrup to the northeast, Blommenslyst to the west, Bellinge to the southwest, and Neder Holluf and Højby to the south.

Odense has a temperate oceanic climate, classified as Koppen zone Cfb.

Odense Municipality is the administrative unit which covers not only the city of Odense but surrounding suburbs and villages.

Odense was re-elected in the 2009 election, forming a coalition with the Red–Green Alliance, the Socialist People's Party and the Social Democrats.

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.

In 2008 Odense Municipality was listed seventh in Denmark for turnover on tourism, reaching 1.

In 2001, Odense Zoo inaugurated a DKK 60 million "Oceanium" featuring South American animal life.

Nonnebakken, a hill in the Odense area, 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 and seek refuge by the Jomsvikings in Wollin in around 975.

Odense Palace was erected by Frederick IV, who died there in 1730.

Odense lived in the little half-timbered house from the age of two until he was 14.

Museums in Odense are mainly governed by the Odense City Museums, a department of the municipal government.

Møntergarden cultural history museum of Odense is one of the most notable remaining Renaissance buildings of the city, built in 1646 by the nobleman Falk Gøye.

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Brandts Museum of Photographic Art in Odense is the only national Danish art museum dedicated specifically to photographic art.

Odense University, established by law in 1964, was the first of three new provincial universities created to relieve pressure on the universities of Copenhagen and Aarhus.

Odense includes departments of the University College Lillebaelt headquartered in Vejle.

Odense is home to eight gymnasiums, 21 state grade schools as well as a number of private schools.

RC Odense represents the city at rugby in combination with Lindø RSC.

Odense Bulldogs are a professional ice hockey team based in Odense.

Accessibility to Odense was greatly increased when the ferry service between the two main Danish islands, Zealand and Funen, was replaced by the Great Belt Bridge – opened in 1997 for rail traffic, 1998 for road traffic.

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

In 2016, the city of Odense, Denmark implemented a new form of technology to allow for more efficient bike travel.

Odense is home to several other private hospitals, including Privathospitalet H C Andersen Klinikken, Privathospitalet Hunderup, and Privathospitalet Mariahjemmet.

Odense is the centre for media activity on Funen, and the hub of the regional network.