Of the nine worlds under Yggdrasill, Muspell was the first to exist. It is said that Hel and Niflheim comprised one world making Muspell the ninth world however, Muspell had no place in the tricentric structure of the universe. “It is light and hot that region flames and burns so that those who do not [...]
Category Archives: The Realms
The Nine Worlds of Norse mythology
The Norsemen visualized the universe in three vertical levels; a tricentric structure. Between each level and its adjacent level was a space. The axis of the three levels and nine worlds was the Yggdrasill tree, a mighty ash which is timeless, has no origin and will survive Ragnarok. The first level Asgard, world of the [...]
Bifrost
In Norse mythology, Bifrost is the bridge between Midgard, the realm of man, and Asgard, the realm of the gods. Since it is the only way for the giants to enter Asgard it is closely guarded by Heimdall, the watchman of the gods. Bifrost was made of three colors with magic and great skill by [...]
Helheim
Helheim (“house of Hel”) is one of the nine worlds of Norse mythology. It is ruled by Hel, the monstrous daughter of the trickster god Loki and his wife Angrboda. This cold, dark and misty abode of the dead is located in the world of Niflheim, on the lowest level of the Norse universe. No [...]
Niflheim
Niflheim (“house of mists”) is the far northern region of icy fogs and mists, darkness and cold. It is situated on the lowest level of the universe. The realm of death, Helheim is part of the vast, cold region. Niflheim lies underneath the third root of Yggdrasil, close to the spring Hvergelmir (“roaring cauldron”). Also [...]
Midgard
In Norse myth, the defensive fortress which the gods build about the middle portion of the earth allotted to men in order to protect mankind from the giants. Midgard (“middle world”) is on the same level as Nidavellir (land of the dwarfs), Svartalfheim (land of the dark elves/dwarfs) and Jotunheim (the land of the giants).
Alfheim
Alfheim (“elf home”), in Norse mythology, is one of the nine worlds. It is located on the highest level of the Norse universe. Also found on this level are the worlds of Asgard and Vanaheim. Alfheim is the palace of the god Freyr and the homeland of the elves of light. Neither the elves of [...]
Vanaheim
Vanaheim (“home of the Vanir”) is the land of the Vanir. It is located in Asgard, on the highest level of the universe.
Jotunheim
Jotunheim is one of the nine worlds, the homeland of the frost giants and rock giants. Situated in Midgard, on the middle level of the Norse universe, Jotunheim is separated from Asgard by the river Iving, which never freezes over. It lies in the snowy regions on the outermost shores of the ocean. Mimir’s well [...]
Yggdrasil
In Norse mythology, Yggdrasil (“The Terrible One’s Horse”), also called the World Tree, is the giant ash tree that links and shelters all the worlds. Beneath the three roots the realms of Asgard, Jotunheim, and Niflheim are located. Three wells lie at its base: the Well of Wisdom (Mímisbrunnr), guarded by Mimir; the Well of [...]