Odense Municipality, is a Danish municipality (kommune) in Region of Southern Denmark on the island of Funen

Funen

Funen , with a size of 2,984 km² , is the third-largest island of Denmark following Zealand and Vendsyssel-Thy, and the 163rd largest island of the world. Funen is located in the central part of the country and has a population of 454,358 inhabitants . The main city is Odense, connected to the...

 in central Denmark

Denmark

Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...

. The municipality covers an area of 304 km² (117 sq mi), and has a total population of 190,245
(2011). It is the most populated municipality in Region of Southern Denmark.

Odense's mayor is Anker Boye

Anker Boye

Anker Boye 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 until 2005. In 2001, he got a historic number of votes and carried almost all...

, representing the Social Democrats

Social Democrats (Denmark)

The Social Democrats , is a Danish political party committed to the political ideology of social democracy. It is the major coalition partner in Denmark's government since the 2011 parliamentary election, and party leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt is the current Prime Minister of Denmark...

 (since 1 January 2010).

Description

The main town and the site of its municipal council is the city of Odense

Odense

The city of Odense is the third largest city in Denmark.Odense City has a population of 167,615 and is the main city of the island of Funen...

. Including the social sector, 17,000 people are employed by the municipality. The municipal budget is 6,881 million DKK

Danish krone

The krone is the official currency of the Kingdom of Denmark consisting of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. It is subdivided into 100 øre...

 (2006). The municipality runs 37 schools. Odense is also the home of 13 private schools.

Neighboring municipalities are Kerteminde

Kerteminde municipality

Kerteminde Municipality is a municipality in Region of Southern Denmark on the northeast coast of the island of Funen in central Denmark. The municipality includes the island of Romsø, and it covers an area of 203 km². It has a total population of 23,630...

 to the east, Faaborg-Midtfyn

Faaborg-Midtfyn municipality

Faaborg-Midtfyn or Fåborg-Midtfyn is a municipality in Region of Southern Denmark in Denmark. It covers an area of 638 km² and a total population of 51,950 ....

 to the south, Assens

Assens municipality

Assens Municipality is a municipality in Region of Southern Denmark on the west coast of the island of Funen in central Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 513 km² and a total population of 42,054...

 to the west, and Nordfyn

Nordfyn municipality

]Nordfyn is a municipality in Region of Southern Denmark in Denmark. It covers an area of and a total population of 29,651 ....

 to the north.

The municipality is connected with all points on the island with an extensive system of roads, including the major E20

European route E20

The European route E 20 is part of the United Nations International E-road network.It runs roughly west-east through Ireland, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden, Estonia and finally Russia. The length is . The road is not continuous, at three points, a sea crossing is required. ...

 Funish Motorway (Fynske Motorvej) which runs across the island through the town of Odense and connect the island on the east to the island of Zealand over the Great Belt Bridge and on the west to the Danish mainland, Jutland

Jutland

Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...

 over the Little Belt Bridge

Little Belt Bridge

The Little Belt Bridge , also known as The Old Little Belt Bridge, is a truss bridge over the Little Belt strait in Denmark. The first bridge to have been constructed over the strait, it spans from Snoghøj on Jutland to Kongebrogaarden on Funen. It is owned by the state and Banedanmark, the Danish...

. A motorway built 2006-2009 connects Odense to the island's second-largest city, Svendborg

Svendborg

Svendborg is a town on the island of Funen in south-central Denmark. The town is in Svendborg municipality . Svendborg is the second-largest city on Funen and has a population of 27,009 ....

, which also has a railroad connection (Svendborgbanen

Svendborgbanen

Svendborgbanen is the Danish railway line between Odense and Svendborg. The line was opened on 12 July 1876.- External links :* from Banedanmark...

). The town of Odense is also a major stop on the national railroad

Danske Statsbaner

DSB, an abbreviation of Danske Statsbaner , is the largest Danish train operating company, and the largest in Scandinavia. While DSB is responsible for passenger train operation on most of the Danish railways, goods transport and railway maintenance are outside its scope...

 system lines.

Geography

Odense municipality is located near the Odense Fjord

Odense Fjord

Odense Fjord is a 13 km long fjord on the northern part of the Danish island of Funen.It covers an area of about 63 km².- Geography :The city of Odense is connected with the fjord through the Odense Canal. The Odense River ends in the fjord at Stige and Seden.The main islands in the fjord are...

. The Odense Canal (Odense Kanal) flows out from the fjord and forms three port

Port

A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....

s in the city's industrial area. The Odense River

Odense River

The Odense River is a river located on the island of Funen, in central Denmark. It is about 60 kilometers long and is named after the Funish capital, Odense, which it passes through. Boats can be rented by the river, offering a scenic ride to Fruens Bøge...

 (Odense Å) also flows out from the fjord and meanders through the municipality, including Odense town center where Sankt Jørgens Park and Munke Mose are located on its banks. The river springs from Lake Arreskov (Arreskov Sø) in Faaborg-Midtfyn municipality

Faaborg-Midtfyn municipality

Faaborg-Midtfyn or Fåborg-Midtfyn is a municipality in Region of Southern Denmark in Denmark. It covers an area of 638 km² and a total population of 51,950 ....

.

The highest point in the municipality is Dyred Banke (123 m (404 ft) above sea-level).

Creation

The municipality, a former "Provincial municipality" was re-created 1 April 1970 as Odense municipality as the result of a kommunalreform ("Municipal Reform") that merged a number of existing Provincial- Parish- and Village- municipalities: Allerup-Davinde, Allese-Næsbyhoved, Broby, Brændekilde, Bellinge, Dalum, Fraugde, Korup-Ubberud, Lumby, Odense, Paarup, Sanderum, Stenløse-Fangel, the "coalition-municipality" of Fjordager (which had been created in 1966 by merging Agedrup and Seden-Åsum municipalities), and Højby parish.

Odense municipality was not merged with other municipalities by 1 January 2007 as the result of the nationwide Kommunalreformen ("The Municipal Reform" of 2007). Before this reform, the list of neighboring municipalities were Langeskov

Langeskov municipality

Until January 1, 2007, Langeskov municipality was a municipality in Funen County near the northeast coast of the island of Funen in central Denmark. The municipality covered an area of 43 km², and had a total population of 6,365...

 to the east, Munkebo

Munkebo municipality

Until January 1, 2007 Munkebo municipality was a municipality in former Funen County on the northeast coast of the island of Funen in central Denmark. The municipality covered an area of 19 km², and had a total population of 5,720...

 to the northeast, Otterup

Otterup municipality

]Until 1 January 2007 Otterup municipality was a municipality in the former Funen County on the north coast of the island of Funen in central Denmark. The municipality included the island of Vigelsø, and covered an area of 169 km². It had a total population of 10,973...

 to the north, Søndersø

Søndersø municipality

Until January 1, 2007 Søndersø municipality was a municipality in the former Funen County on the island of Funen in central Denmark. The municipality covered an area of 181 km², and had a total population of 11,234 . Its last mayor was Erik Hansen, a member of the Social Democrats political party...

, Vissenbjerg

Vissenbjerg municipality

Until January 1, 2007 Vissenbjerg municipality was a municipality in the former Funen County on the island of Funen in central Denmark. The municipality covered an area of 47 km², and had a total population of 6,096...

, and Tommerup

Tommerup municipality

Until January 1, 2007 Tommerup municipality was a municipality in the former Funen County in central Denmark. The municipality covered an area of 74 km², and had a total population of 7,865...

 to the west, and Broby

Broby municipality

Until January 1, 2007, Broby municipality was a municipality in Funen County in central Denmark . The municipality covered an area of 100 km², and had a total population of 6,353 . Its last mayor was Erling Bonnesen, a member of the Venstre political party...

 and Årslev

Årslev municipality

Årslev municipality is a former municipality in the island of Funen in central Denmark. It merged into Faaborg-Midtfyn municipality on January 1, 2007. The former municipality covered an area of 74 km², and had a total population of 9,365...

 to the south. Odense belonged to Funen County

Funen County

Fyns Amt is a former county 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 April 1970, comprising the former counties of Odense and Svendborg. The county was abolished...

 1970-2006 and before this to Odense County

Odense County

Odense County 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 new Funen County....

.

Municipal council

Danish city council members are elected for four-year terms. Last election took place in 2009 and councillors assumed office on 1 January 2010. The 2009 election was a victory for the left wing as the Social Democrats ousted conservative Jan Boye after his one term as mayor. That was, however, the outcome of a good election result for the Socialist People's Party.

18 November 2009 municipal election

For more detailed results, see: http://www.kmdvalg.dk/kv/2009/k84733461.htm

The city of Odense

Odense is the third largest city in Denmark, and one of country's oldest settlements. The first record of its existence dates from 988 and the town celebrated its 1,000th anniversary in 1988. The name refers to Odin

Odin

Odin is a major god in Norse mythology and the ruler of Asgard. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxon "Wōden" and the Old High German "Wotan", the name is descended from Proto-Germanic "*Wodanaz" or "*Wōđanaz"....

 in Norse mythology

Norse mythology

Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...

— Odins Vi ("Odin's Sanctuary"). The shrine of Canute the Saint

Canute IV of Denmark

Canute IV, later known as Canute the Holy or Canute the Saint , was King of Denmark from 1080 until 1086. Canute was an ambitious king who sought to strengthen the Danish monarchy, devotedly supported the Roman Catholic Church, and had designs on the English throne. Slain by rebels in 1086, he was...

 was a great resort of pilgrims throughout the Middle Ages

Middle Ages

The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...

. His relics are still preserved in Saint Canute's Cathedral

Saint Canute's Cathedral

St. Canute's Cathedral , also known as Odense Cathedral, is named after the Danish king Canute the Saint , otherwise Canute IV. It is a fine example of Brick Gothic architecture. The church's most visited section is the crypt where the remains of Canute and his brother Benedict are on display.-...

. In the 16th century the town was the meeting-place of several parliaments, and down to 1805 it was the seat of the provincial assembly of Funen.

Denmark's famous author and poet Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author, fairy tale writer, and poet noted for his children's stories. These include "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Snow Queen," "The Little Mermaid," "Thumbelina," "The Little Match Girl," and "The Ugly Duckling."...

 was born in Odense on 2 April 1805. Museums honouring him have been created both in a house in the old part of Odense with a large collection of his works and belongings, and his childhood home, which is also located in the city.

Odense also has a museum honouring the classical composer Carl Nielsen

Carl Nielsen

Carl August Nielsen , , widely recognised as Denmark's greatest composer, was also a conductor and a violinist. Brought up by poor but musically talented parents on the island of Funen, he demonstrated his musical abilities at an early age...

, who was born in Nr. Lynelse near Odense.

Twin towns — Sister cities

Odense is twinned with:

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Katowice Katowice Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2... , Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...  Kaunas Kaunas Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation... , Lithuania Lithuania Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...  Kiev Kiev Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press.... , Ukraine Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...  Klaksvík Klaksvík Klaksvík is the second largest town of the Faroe Islands.The town is located on Borðoy, which is one of the northernmost islands .... , Faroe Islands Faroe Islands The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...  Kópavogur Kópavogur Kópavogur is a city and Iceland's second largest municipality, with a population of 30,779.It lies immediately south of Reykjavík and is part of the Greater Reykjavík Area. The name literally means seal pup bay... , Iceland Iceland Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...  Norrköping Municipality Norrköping Municipality Norrköping Municipality is a municipality in Östergötland County in southeast Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Norrköping, with some 90,000 inhabitants.... , Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....  Östersund Municipality Östersund Municipality Östersund Municipality is a municipality in Jämtland County in northern Sweden. Its seat is located in Östersund, which is also the county seat of Jämtland County.... , Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

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External links

• Municipality's official website
• Odense tourism bureau List of twin cities and towns Krak searchable/printable map(outline of municipality does not print out!)