Hans Christian Andersen's House

Facts

The home of fairytales

By Ejnar Askgaard, Museumsinspektør, Odense Bys Museer (1 story)

Today, storyteller Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) is the most famous Dane in the world. He is also the writer whose works are translated into the most languages. The poet's humble birthplace in Odense is now known as Hans Christian Andersen's House and is also a museum celebrating his work. It is one of Scandinavia's oldest museums dedicated to one person. Few homes this poor are as well-known and reproduced in so many examples as Hans Christian Andersen's first home. The low yellow half-timbered building looks very romantic but back then the house was home for five poor families – about 20 people – at the same time.

Public place

Listen to the story
Share

Contribute to Hans Christian Andersen's House

Have you visited / Want to visit? Contribute to this place Add to route

Selected entry

From slum to fairytale

Listen to the story

play
pause

Update Required To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.

Story written by Ejnar Askgaard

Time / Periode 1805 1908

1 comment 0 recommendations

When Hans Christian Andersen was born in Odense on 2 April 1805, his parents had no house of their own. They lived where they worked in service, so when Hans Christian came into the world he lived with his father's aunt in plain rented rooms in Hans Jensens Stræde. The house stood in the heart of the infamous poor quarter where one in three children was born outside marriage. As an adult, the great storyteller could not or would not point out his birthplace. He probably tried to gloss over it. But when the decision was made in 1905 to open a museum for his work, it was considered appropriate to put it in his birthplace in the slum quarter. After all, the writer may have come from desperate poverty, but he rose above his social background. The museum opened its doors to visitors on the writer's birthday in 1908.