Exhibition: Life in the City

Over the course of 600 years, Odense transformed from a modest village to an international trading metropolis, and the exhibition reveals the fascinating changes in society and worldview during this period.

The exhibition is housed in a Renaissance noble house that is itself part of Odense's history. This house provides the perfect atmosphere for the exhibition's 11 themes, which are brought to life through sound, light and projections.

Your journey begins in the Viking Age, where you discover how King Harald Bluetooth built the Viking castle "Nonnebakken" by the river Odense and where Cnut the Holy, the last Viking king, was killed in Albani Church. You can even stand by the floor he fell on.

The exhibition also delves into daily life, including the market, backyards and homes in the city. Here you'll experience the challenges people faced, such as illness, death and punishment, but also the joys that came with cosy bathhouses, exotic goods and skilled craftsmen.

A special find in the exhibition is a bishop's coffin and skeleton, which was found where St Albani Church was located in the 11th century. The small wooden church from that time was rebuilt and expanded over time and became increasingly important.