Odense Odense Bulldogs professional ice hockey team, and the city also hosts the H.C. Andersen Marathon. Odense is served by Hans Christian Andersen Airport and Odense station, which lies on the line between Copenhagen and the Jutland peninsula. The name Odense is derived from "Odins Vé", meaning "Odin's sanctuary" as the area was known as a sanctuary for worshippers of the Nordic god, Odin. Odense is one of Denmark's oldest cities. Archaeological excavations in the vicinity show proof of settlement for over 4,000 years since at least the Stone Age. The earliest community was centred on the higher ground between the
Odense Stadium It is part of the sports complex, known as Odense Sports Park (Danish: Odense Idrætspark), that is owned by Odense Municipality and run by the company of Odense Idrætspark (a department of "By- og Kulturforvaltningen, Fritid og biblioteker" under the municipality). The venue was inaugurated in August 1941 as Odense Stadium with major renovations made in the 1990s and 2000s. In recent years, it has been known under several names due to sponsorship arrangements; Fionia Park (2005–2010), TRE-FOR Park (2010–2016), and in October 2016 it was renamed EWII Park, when the naming rights for Odense Boldklub's football matches and events