THE GREAT BELT BRIDGE

Funen or "Fyn" in Danish, is one of the counties that make up the country of Denmark.The county of Fyn is made up of many islands.The largest of which is also called Funen.

Funen is the second largest island of Denmark, located in the center of the Danish empire, H.C. Andersen referred to his island of birth as Denmarks Heart. Fyn is also known as the Land of the 100 Manors because of the many beautiful castles, large manors, and estate houses scattered around the island and beautifully maintained.Odense the third largest city in Denmark, is located on Funen as well as the cities of Svendborg, Nyborg, Assens, and Middelfart .It is largely a fertile lowland; dairy goods, sugar beets, and cereals are the chief products. There are many summer residences along the island's coast

You never need be bored on Fyn. There are dozens of museums, for art, cultural history and archaeology. There is wildlife of all sizes and types, from frogs to porpoises and cows to hedgehogs. You can meet them under the sea, in terrariums, at museums or in a gravel pit. Visit a "lions' den", play golf, sail on an old wooden ship, spot a train or write your own fairy-story.

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The countryside of Fyn is a treasure trove of well-maintained relics of the past. Nowhere else in Denmark offers the same density of manor houses as Fyn, Langeland and Ærø. In all there are 123 manors and castles, and their extensive fields, woods, avenues and stone walls are a defining feature of the landscape.

The Funen Village is an open air museum with rural buildings from the 16 and 1800's.

A country village environment has been recreated with half- timbered houses, hedges, farm animals with a village pond and main road - all surrounded by cultivated fields. The museum tells the story of life in rural Denmark around 1850.

Old time methods are used in the agriculture, and especially during the summer there are activities and re-enactments

Where the Great Belt meets the gentle countryside of eastern Fyn there are miles and miles of lovely beaches to tempt everyone, whether children with buckets and spades, water lovers, yachtsmen, sailors, fishermen, indeed anyone who can appreciate natural beauty by the sea.

Artists love it too, and many have followed the lead of the prominent Fyn painters such as Johannes Larsen and Fritz Syberg who were inspired by the atmosphere and the colours.

The coast of the Great Belt is gentle rather than dramatic, but there are imposing places where the sea eats in to the land. Fynshoved, jutting out to the north-east, is equally impressive in calm weather or howling storms.

Kerteminde and Nyborg are two charming market towns imbued with the history of man's links with the sea. For centuries the livelihood here was fishing, but now mariners create a forest of sails as they explore the belts, bays and fjords. The ferries have stopped, replaced by one of the biggest and most attractive bridges in the world, connecting Fyn to Zealand.

The old buildings in town and country bear witness to the changing history. There is a Viking ship in Ladby, and Nyborg Castle, the oldest royal castle in the Nordic countries and once the seat of Danish power. There are manor houses, farms and merchants' houses. The narrow winding lanes, tinged with a sense of the olden days and fairy-tales are delightful, and offer excellent opportunities for relaxed shopping. The museums offer insights into art and culture. The Fjord & Belt Center brings you close up to the sea and all the intriguing and wonderful things that live in it.

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The bustling ports of Middelfart and Assens have a wealth of goods on offer for those who love to shop, but you can still smell the sea while you explore them.

Odense, Denmark's third largest city has everything you need, whether you are seeking activity, relaxation, or a combination of the two. It is easy to find your way around one of the oldest cities in the country. There are lovely green areas, even right in the heart of the city, but especially out along the river, which you can also explore by boat.

There is a rich cultural life. Art of all kinds and genres thrives, in theatres, on the streets, in the parks, the museums and art galleries. The traditional sits happily next to the contemporary and the avant-garde. There is an internationally renowned competition for violin, piano and flute named after the composer Carl Nielsen. There are orchestral concerts, theatre of all descriptions, a film festival, a jazz festival, exhibitions, street entertainers there is always something happening at any time of the year.Then there is Brandts Klædefabri, a cultural centre which hosts all kinds of international art. But in Odense, art and culture is not restricted to formal venues, it is evident everywhere in the city. You will just come across all kinds of unusual and unexpected happenings

The island of Funen has wonders to be discovered, come and see for yourself!