Odense History Facts and Timeline

(Odense, Region Syddanmark, Denmark)

With a name like 'Odin's Shrine' (the meaning of Odense), it would seem natural that this city ranks amongst Denmark's most interesting and magical cities. This is certainly one of the oldest settlements in Denmark, dating back at least 1,000 years as a continually inhabited city.

In terms of magic and mythology, the history of Odense is a bit thin in pages. This may be Denmark's third-largest city, but it doesn't attract nearly as many visitors as Aarhus or Copenhagen.

The Odin Cult

The first time that Odense is mentioned in history annals is from official documents sent by Germany's Kaiser Otto III in 988 AD. At that time, the town had already been saddled with a bishop and had steady connections to the rest of Europe. However, archaeological evidence suggests a much more colourful past before the arrival of popery.


It is well known among locals that Odense was a major centre for the Cult of Odin, the head god in Norse mythology. This stems from its foundations as a Viking settlement, remains of which lie buried underneath the city's modern-day Town Hall. Just south of the city is a quintessential circular gathering of Viking fortifications known as the Nonnebakken, which was still in use around 980 AD.

Saint Knud

Christianity eventually won out over pagan gods in Denmark, and the town's role as an important religious centre was sealed in 1086, when King Knud IV was murdered inside St. Albani Church. The Christian king was canonised shortly after to become Saint Knud, or Canute, as he is also known. His remains can still be seen inside the crypt of St. Canute's Cathedral (the Cathedral of King Canute the Holy). Throughout the Middle Ages, this church functioned as one of Europe's great pilgrimage sites.

Benedictine monks moved to Odense from England at the turn of the 12th century and built St. Knud's Monastery. This opened the door to another important aspect of Odense history - the writing and printing of books. An English monk named Aelnoth authored the first Danish piece of literature at this time and much later, in 1482, Denmark's first book was printed at the monastery by the German printer Johann Snell.

Centre of Trade

Odense emerged as one of Denmark's main hubs of merchants, trade and commercial activity by the 16th century. Some of the lovely timber-frame buildings that grace the city centre today were built by wealthy merchants during this period. Roughly a century later, the Swedish Wars hit the local industry hard with taxes and other economic impositions. The city didn't recover until the 19th century.

Things picked up significantly when a canal linked the town to the rest of the country in 1803. For decades, only Copenhagen was more important than Odense. This was the first town to be fitted out with modern city gas and water systems (in the early 1850s) and it was connected to the railway network in the year of 1865. These new-found transport links opened the way for a major industrial boom in ironworks, textiles and food production.

The Town Hall

Like most established Danish cities, the history of Odense includes the building of a City Hall in 1883, which was later expanded in 1955 to mark the 150th birthday of Hans Christian Andersen, the city's most famous local.

Renovations in 2005 have restored the City Hall to its original grandeur. Along with St. Canute's Cathedral and the Odense Palace, the City Hall remains as one of the city's top architectural attractions.