Odense city center
VESTERGADE, KONGENS GADE, ALBANI TORV, TOWN HALL SQUARE, HC ANDERSENS HAVE, CATHEDRAL, CENTRAL STATION, KONGENS HAVE, ODENSE CASTLE, BRANDTS CLOTH FACTORY

The city center of Odense mainly consists of old buildings and is very picturesque with pedestrian streets. Here you find several churches (St Albani and the cathedral are the most significant ones), stores, nice restaurants, department stores, parks and museums, 2 about HC Anderesen in house where he have lived. The city center is very attractive with its pedestrian feeling and quarters that has been transformed from factories to buildings with hip restaurants and designer stores, like Brandt Klaedfabrik.

 

FLAKHAVEN (TOWN HALL SQUARE) AND CATHEDRAL:

At the Town Hall Square, locally called Flakhaven, you find Town Hall and Odense Cathedral. At this square also Vestergade, Odense's main pedestrian street and shopping district, begins. Flakhaven is the place for annual flower festival as well as concerts and demonstrations.


Town Hall Square, or Flakhaven, with the Town Hall (left) and the Cathedral (Odense Domkirke, right). This is the most central square of the city and is where Vestergade begins.

 



Odd sculpture at Flakhaven square


Odense City Hall was buit 1881-83 in red brick, inspired by Italian gothic buildings. There is a memory wall inside the building that honours Odense's most important inhabitants, such as H.C. Andersen and Carl Nielsen.

  

Odense Domkirke

Danske Bank at Flakhaven

Odense Rådhus, the City Hall

 
Magasin's Odense branch is the city's largest department store   Flakhaven   Flakhaven

 
Odense's city weapon, City Hall   Sculptures atop the City Hall   Odd sculpture on Flakhaven

 
Odense Domkirke   Albani Church and Skt Knuds Plads, from Flakhaven    

Odense Domkirke, the Cathedral or Sankt Knuds kirke (St Canute's Cathedral), was built in 1499 and the tower most likely in 1586. It is a brick gothic church and is the largest church in Odense.


The Cathedral (Skt Knuds Kirke) stands on Abbey Hill. Here you find the tombstone of King Hans of Denmark and the bones of Canute IV of Denmark (Knut IV).

  




St Canute's Cathedral's interior is very light and impressive.

  



H.C. Andersen was confirmed in the cathedral


Table inside the Cathedral.

 



 
Nave, Odense Cathedral   Altar by sculptor Claus Berg   Altar by sculptor Claus Berg

 
Organ, Odense Cathedral        

 
Interior, Odense Cathedral   Canute IV:S crypt   Rasmus Andersen's tomb

 

ALBANI TORV (ALBANI SQUARE):

Here you find the Albani Church, the tallest church in Odense and Danske Bank, the only highrise in central Odense. It is situated between the city center, close to the cathedral and Town Hall Square and the Old Town.


Danske Bank, situated between Albani torv and Fisketorvet, is the tallest and only highrise in Odense's city center. It has only 11 floors, but looks taller because of high ceilings. It was bult in grey marble but not the most beautiful building.

  



Albani square


St Alban's Church (Albani Kirke) is the tallest church in Odense, with a height of 54m to the spire. It is a roman catholic parish church, built in neogothic style.

  



Albani Kirke, seen from St Knuds Plads. In 1908 the unfinished building was consecrated.

 
Albani Kirke, designed by the German architect L.Schneider   St Alban's Church (Albani Kirke)   St Alban's Church (Albani Kirke)

 
Albani Kirke   St Alban's Church (Albani Kirke)   St Alban's Church (Albani Kirke)

 
Albani Kirke   St Alban's Church (Albani Kirke)   St Alban's Church (Albani Kirke)

 
Odense Planning Exhibtion   Odense Planning Exhibtion    

 

 

VESTERGADE (West Street):


Vestergade is Odense's main pedestrian street and shopping district. It begins at the Town Hall Square.

Vestergade, Odense's main pedestrian street. Here you find Magasin du Nord, H&M and more.


Action at Vestergade!

  

Action at Vestergade


Action at Vestergade!

  

Action at Vestergade

 
Vestergade   Magasine du Nord is a large department store at Vestergade   Vestergade

 
Magasine du Nord and Cos   Vestergade   Vestergade

 
Vestergade   Vestergade   Vestergade

 
Vestergade   Vestergade   Vestergade

 
Vestergade   Side street to Vestergade   Side street to Vestergade

 
Vestergade. OFF14 is Odense Film Festival   Bryggeriet, a popular pub/brewery   Vestergade at Town Hall Square

 

 

KONGENSGADE:


Kongensgade (King's Street), one of the main pedestrian streets. It is situated between Vestergade and Kongens Have.

  

"The Woman with the Eggs" , a HC Andersen fairy tale on Kongens Gade


Kongensgade, walking towards the central station.

  

Kongensgade


Kongens Gade, painting on the street.

  

Kongens Gade (King's Street)


Granite sculptures at the end of Kongens Gade, where it meets the main road Østre Stationsvej.

 

The end of Kongens Gade (King's Street) and Østre Stationsvej


NØRREGADE (NORTH STREET):


Nørregade is a winding street, situated between the Central station and Albani torv.

 



Record store with a lot of LP records

 
Sankt Hans Kirke is the old church were HC Anderesen was baptized.   St Hans Church at Nørregade   St Hans Church, built around 1100

 
Odense has significant white and lime green buses.   Nørregade   Odense Film Festival was taking place during my visit.

 
Ungdomens Hus, a culture house for young people at Nørregade   Police car passing by at Nørregade   Konkurs bar, Nørregade

 

BRANDT'S KLÆDEFABRIK (BRANDT'S CLOTHING FACTORY):

This is a couple of blocks in the city center that used to be part of a clothing factory called Brandt's Klædefabrik. Today it is a typical gentrified hip area with much culture, restaurants, designer stores, cafés, pubs, offices, restaurants, museums and students apartments. Here you find the Media Museum, Brandts Museum, a private art museum and the concert place Magasinet. Brandst used to be Odense's biggest employer, but went bankrupt in 1977 and today it is a very vibrant neighbourhood, connected to Vestergade with Brandts passage.


Brandts Klædfabrik

 

 


Brandts Klædfabrik

 


Brandts Klædfabrik

 

 
Brandts Klædfabrik   Amfipladsen    

 
Sun chairs, Amfipladsen, Brandts Klædfabrik   Café Biografen in the former clothing factory at Amfipladsen   OFF14, Odense Film Festival was going on


Yoko Ono's "a whole to see", Brandts Klædfabrik. The building is the former clothing factory at Amfipladsen.

  

The text says "The war is over - if you want it", an exhibtion by Yoko Ono

 
Brandts Klædfabrik        

 
Brandt's Klædfabrik       Brandt's Passage

 
Brandt's Passage, entrance from Vestergade       View towards HC Andersen Haven

 

VINTAPPERSTRÆDE:

 
Vintapperstræde, a short passage with pubs. Entrance from Vestergade   Vintapperstræde   Vintapperstræde


Vintapperstræde

  

Vintapperstræde, a short passage to Vestergade with pubs


Vintapperstræde

  

Vintapperstræde, a short passage to Vestergade with pubs

 

OTHER STREETS AND SQUARES IN THE CITY CENTER:

City center with views towards the cathedral.

 
Gråbrødre Plads   Gråbrødre Cloister and Church, Gråbrødre Plads   Gråbrødre Plads

 
Gråbrødre Plads        

 
Jensens Bøfhus, branch of a nice Danish chain restaurant that I tried   Jensens Bøfhus    


Buildings in different style, seen from Filosofgangen.

  

 

 
Vindegade   Vindegade   Many prefer Carlsberg over the local beer, Albani


Kongelige Toldkammer (Royal Toll Chamber) building on Østre Stationsvej.

 

Dronningens Gade (Queen's Street)

Odense Plaza Hotel, Østre Stationsvej


Striking modern building with sharp edges, Østre Stationsvej.

 

Bank Nordik and residential building, Østre Stationsvej.

Tolderlunsvej 2, a highrise in the outskirts

 

JERNBANEVEJ:

Fyns Kunstmuseum


Odense Theater.

  



 
First Hotel Grand        

 

AROUND ODENSE CENTRAL STATION:

 
Odense Banegård Center, the Central Station, is situated right next to the museum.   Odense Banegård Center, the Central Station   Modern commuting train at the Central Station


Strange, but interesting artwork opposite the Central Station.

 


Artwork opposite the Central Station

 
Old Railway Station (right), today the Music Library   Area around the central station   Odense Central Libary is located on the second floor of the central station.


Sunset skyline and modern Funen commuting train seen from the Central Station.