Odense’s imposing 14th-century Gothic cathedral reflects the city’s medieval wealth and stature. Its most intriguing attraction lies in the chilly crypt, down an inconspicuous staircase to the right of the altar. Here you’ll find a glass case containing the 900-year-old skeleton of Denmark’s patron saint, King Canute (Knud) II, alongside the bones of his younger brother Benedikt.
Both were killed by Jutland peasants during a revolt against taxes; legend holds that Knud was murdered whilst kneeling in prayer. Although Knud was less than saintly, the pope canonised him in 1101 in a move to secure the Catholic Church in Denmark.
