Storytelling
The last story on routes
December 11, 2023
As with the intermediate stories, we should introduce the place and tell a site-specific story. However, since this is the last stop on the tour, there's no teaser for the next story. Instead, we should wrap up the entire tour and encourage the user to try more.
Where should the user stand and where should they look? Actively guide the user's gaze; there should be a reason they are standing outside and not listening from home. The place should be directly tied to the story.
Is there a spot where they can enter or a bench they can sit on? Learn more about crafting a good introduction for a story.
Today, I will show you the hidden stories that lurk in the seemingly mundane. Just look at the Gefion Fountain in front of you. It depicts an old myth about the goddess Gefion. According to Norse mythology, it is Gefion we have to thank for having solid ground under our feet.
The actual story we want to tell should be anchored in the surroundings and based precisely where the user is standing.
A good story should be under four minutes, engage the senses, and follow a coherent narrative. Learn more about crafting a good story.
The year is 1744. Denmark is not at war, but the treasury is nearly empty after repeated wars against Sweden. Winter is coming, and the wind tears through the bare trees. Hermann and his company are on their way home from eight months of deployment in Norway.
Since this is the last stop on the tour, there's no need for way-finding. Instead, it's time to thank the listener and encourage them to try some of your other tours. In this section it's also a good idae to recap what the listener has learned.
Thank you for joining me on this tour! My name is Lukas Bjerg. I hope you enjoyed it. If you're interested in hearing many more fascinating stories about Odense or from all over Denmark, you can explore the Storyhunt app on your phone.
Find the last story from "Knud The Holy," taking place in Odense, below.
The statue you see in front of you shows a proud and erect king, gazing towards the heavens with his powerful sword resting on his shoulders. Although Knud was only king of Denmark for a very short period – about six years – he has made his mark on posterity.
If you let your gaze slide down to the inscription on the pedestal, you can read, among other things: 'Murdered, he received the martyr's crown - Knud the Holy.'
Even though the statue is no more than 60 years old, we know that Knud was considered a martyr at the beginning of the 1100s. And the citizens had a pretty good reason for that in the years following Knud’s death…
[Source: Historian Johnny Wøllekær talks about "miracles" at the Albani Church, where Knud is buried.]
After Knud's one brother, Oluf Hunger, dies after only nine years on the throne, a third of Knud's brothers comes to power; this time Erik Ejegod. And Erik does everything he can to have Knud declared a saint.
[Source: Historian Johnny Wøllekær talks about why Erik Ejegod wanted to canonize Knud as a saint.]
And Erik Ejegod succeeds! In the year 1100 – 14 years after the murder in Albani Church – Knud is declared a saint and is thereafter known as 'the Holy.' Brother Erik Ejegod then puts a lot of effort into spreading the story of Knud the Holy.
Knud's earthly remains are moved into what will later become the new cathedral – today's Saint Knud's Church – and a monastery is also erected, where monks are tasked with telling and preserving the story of Knud for eternity.
And this near-cult worship of Knud that arises in the years after his death has a decisive impact on the further development of Odense.
Knud is in many ways an interesting figure. On one hand, he is remembered as a noble man of the church, but on the other hand, the Viking fire still burned wildly in him - after all, he had ambitions to embark on a military expedition to England like his ancestor Knud the Great.
In this way, many consider Knud the Holy as a marker that Denmark is seriously moving away from the Viking Age and into the Christian Middle Ages.
And that is why you are here – in the heart of Odense – surrounded by so many religious buildings.
And with those words, it's time to put a full stop on this tour around Knud's Odense. As mentioned, you have the opportunity to visit the cathedral – if it's open – and see Knud the Holy's earthly remains in the crypt.
Thank you for joining me on this tour! My name is Lukas Bjerg. I hope you enjoyed it. If you're interested in hearing many more fascinating stories about Odense or from all over Denmark, you can explore the Storyhunt app on your phone.
And by the way; you can conclude the tour by answering the last question that pops up in your app now.
To get started with creating self-guided tours, we recommend these introductory articles.
Creating great tours is all about storytelling. Learn the basis from the articles below.
Learn about the different features that will enable you to create great tours - from using images to pop up during audio to advanced features like AI.
