Albani Torv, Odense

One of the biggest archaeological surprises of recent years' excavations in Odense city centre was the discovery of an early medieval bishop's tomb - in the middle of the site of the old St. Albani Church. A glimpse of the city's religious and political centre in the Middle Ages suddenly came to life again under layers of modern urban development.

Albani Torv has undergone an adventurous transformation and is now a vibrant, modern urban space with deep roots in history. Cast in the square's paving are markings of the post holes from the very church where King Canute the Holy was murdered in 1086. Together with the cast iron marking of the recently uncovered bishop's tomb, visitors get a tangible sense of the place where dramatic events unfolded almost 1,000 years ago.

This is where Odense's past and present meet - not as a museum, but as part of the city's pulse. History lives on in the centre of city life.