Odense Municipality is a Danish municipality in Southern Denmark on the island of Funen in central Denmark. The municipality covers an area of, and has a population of 204,895. It is the most populous municipality in Region of Southern Denmark. The main town and the site of its municipal council is the city of Odense. Including the social sector, 17,000 people are employed by the municipality. The municipal budget is 6,881 million DKK as of 2006. The municipality runs 37 schools; Odense is also the home of 13 private schools. Neighboring municipalities are Kerteminde to the east, Faaborg-Midtfyn to the south, Assens to the west, and Nordfyn to the north.
Transportation
The municipality is connected with all points on the island with an extensive system of roads, including the major E20 Funish Motorway 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 over the Little Belt Bridge. A motorway built 2006-2009 connects Odense to the island's second-largest city, Svendborg, which also has a railroad connection. The town of Odense is also a major stop on the national railroad system lines.
Geography
The Odense municipality is located near the Odense Fjord. The Odense Canal flows out from the fjord and forms three ports in the city's industrial area. The Odense River 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 in Faaborg-Midtfyn municipality. The highest point in the municipality is Dyred Banke which is located at 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 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, and Højby parish. Odense municipality was not merged with other municipalities by 1 January 2007 as the result of the nationwide Kommunalreformen. Before this reform, the list of neighboring municipalities were Langeskov to the east, Munkebo to the northeast, Otterup to the north, Søndersø, Vissenbjerg, and Tommerup to the west, and Broby and Årslev to the south. Odense belonged to Funen County 1970-2006 and before this to Odense County.
Politics
Odense's municipal council consists of 29 members, elected every four years. The municipal council has five political committees.
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 in Norse mythology— Odins Vi. The shrine of Canute the Saint was a great resort of pilgrims throughout the Middle Ages. His relics are still preserved in Saint Canute's Cathedral. 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 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, who was born in Nr. Lynelse near Odense.
