Even Odin could not pull his divine son Balder out of Helheim. Once in Helheim, it is difficult to leave. This leads them to the only gate into Helheim, which is surrounded by strong walls. It involves crossing a bridge over a raging river flowing with weapons. The dead reach Helheim via a long road called Helveg. Often people placed weapons in the hands of loved ones who died of sickness or old age in order to trick Hel into thinking that they had died in battle. Any Viking that does not die in battle finds themselves here, not just the wicked. For Hel, it was this realm beneath the roots of Yggdrasil.įenrir jewelry available in the VKNG store He placed each of them somewhere he thought that would do the least harm. When these three children of Loki were born, Odin knew that they would cause trouble. Helheim is a gloomy realm presided over Hel, the daughter of Loki and sister to the Midgard Serpent Jormungandr and the mighty wolf Fenrir. While this speculation is probably unfounded, it reinforces the idea that Alfheim is a place of beauty and light. The people who live here are often considered ‘fairer’ than people from other places. It has been suggested that this actually describes a place on the border between modern day Sweden and Norway. The realm itself is described as being located between the mouths of the Gota and the Glom. Some scholars have suggested that the light elves are similar to our modern conception of angels. They are also responsible for inspiring art, music and all sorts of creativity, much like muses. These beings are said to be so beautiful and glorious that they shine more brightly than the sun. It is populated by beings known as light elves. AsgardĪlfheim is another heavenly world, ruled over by Freyr, the twin brother of Freya and another of the Vanir gods. This is one of the three wells that nourished Yggdrasil in Norse cosmology. Freya is one of the Vanir gods, but was sent to live in Asgard as a hostage to preserve peace between the warring tribes.Īsgard is also the location of the Urdarbrunnr, the Well of Destiny. They may also be taken to Folkvangr, the realm of the goddess Freya. There they will dwell until they are called to fight again at Ragnarok. The souls of men that die heroically on the battlefield are either taken to Valhalla by Odin and the Valkyries. In Norse cosmology, Asgard is where the souls of dead warriors find themselves. The Aesir ate these apples to maintain their youth and vigor. It was also here in Asgard that the apples of youth grow. Here in Asgard was Odin’s throne Hildskjalf, from where he could observe everything that happened in the nine worlds. The realm was ruled over by Odin, king of the Aesir gods and the most important deity in the Viking pantheon along with his son Thor.Īsgard is described in the sources as a celestial city with high towers and surrounded by a great, but incomplete, wall. In Norse cosmology Asgard is the home of the Aesir gods, the most important gods in Norse mythology. Yggdrasil symbol jewelry available in the VKNG shop Asgard – Real of the Aesir Read on to discover more about each of the nine realms in Norse cosmology. Unfortunately, all nine realms will also be destroyed during Ragnarok, the end of days. But these are only two of the many worlds that make up Norse cosmology.Īccording to Norse mythology, there are nine realms, all of which are nestled in the Tree of Life, Yggdrasil. According to Norse mythology, men live in Midgard, the world of mortal beings, and the gods live in Asgard, the world of the divine.