During the course of history Fyn, or Funen, has never been independent or seen any distinction from the rest of Denmark. Its coasts were easily raided and the islands lacked natural resources. Today, the island is home to the city of Odense and a scattered collection of ancient rural villages, seemingly untouched by modernity.
Fyn, Funen or Fünen, is the central island cluster in the Danish “Archipelago”. Historically the island lacked significant population centers, as the region was raided heavily in the Middle Ages, and its relative isolation precluded immigration from elsewhere. The exception was the city of Odense, which has formed part of the overland trade route connecting Sweden with mainland Europe. Until the centralization of the Danish Monarchy starting in the 16th century, the city enjoyed substantial autonomy and was one of the most prosperous in the country. With the reformation and the rise of absolutism in Denmark, the Bishops of Odense were evicted and the city’s privileges revoked. The region fell into decline and has remained a depressed economic region since then.
For us though, Fyn is a window into the past. Its villages are filled with architecture from all periods of Danish history, though with a bias towards the 19th and 18th centuries. Some of its towns and destinations are legendary for the state of preservation, such as Ærøskøbing or the Egeskov Palace. Despite its relative remoteness, Fyn has a lot to offer the traveler looking for immersion.
