![]() When humans were not accepted to Valhalla or Fólkvangr, they came to Hel’s hall Elivdnir. Home of the Goddess Hel, daughter of Loki. Hel / Helheimr / Náir – Land of the Dead, Home of the Goddess Hel The oldest of three wells, Hvergelmir (‘Roaring Kettle’), was located here, which was the source of all cold rivers and the origin of all living things. ![]() ![]() The lowest of the Nine Worlds, this land of ice and mist was located in the northern region of Ginnungagap. It was home to the fire giants, fire demons, and the giant Surt, enemy to the Aesir. Muspelheim was a burning hot place created in the far south. Ruled by Hreidmar, the dwarves were masters of craftsmanship and gave presents to the Aesir, such as Thor’s hammer and Odin’s spear. Similar to Svartalfheim was Nidavellir, where dwarves lived in caves underground. They could not be touched by the sun, otherwise they would turn to stone. Ásgard The Norse gods were separated into two main groups, the Æsir and the Vanir. Home of Mímisbrunnr, the Well of Wisdom, guarded by Mimir.ĭeep in the underground lived the hideous dark elves, known to cause trouble to humans such as causing nightmares. Loki came from Jotunheim, later to live in Asgard. Jotunheim was mostly rocks, wilderness and dense forests. Home of the jotuns (giants), enemies of the Aesir. Midgard was connected to Asgard by Bifrost, the Rainbow Bridge. Home of mankind, also known as ‘middle earth’. Next to Asgard in the heavens was Alfheim, home to beautiful elves, the gods of nature and fertility. Home of Njord, Freya and Freyr, who came to live in Asgard after the Aesir-Vanir war. Home of Urdarbrunnr, the Well of Fate, guarded by the Norns.Ī mysterious place, home of the Vanir earth gods. Asgard was also the home of Odin’s Valhalla and Freya’s Fólkvangr, where brave Viking warriors would go after death. High in the sky lies Asgard, home to the Aesir, the sky gods. Many people are familiar with Asgard, but what about the. These nine worlds encompass Niflheim, Muspelheim, Asgard, Midgard, Jotunheim, Vanaheim, Alfheim, Svartalfheim and Helheim, all held in the branches and roots of the world tree Yggdrasil. ( Hel / Helheimr / Náir – Land of the Dead, Home of the Goddess Hel) Old Norse texts mention the existence of Níu Heimar, translated by scholars as Nine Worlds. Niflheim / Niflheimr – Primordial place of Ice and Fog, Land of the Dead Muspelheim / Muspellsheimr – Primordial Land of Fire Svartalfheim / Svartálfaheimr / Dvergar – Land of the Dark Elves Jotunheim / Jötunheimr / Jötnar – Land of the Giants ![]() Midgard / Miðgarðr / Menn – Land of Humanity Vanaheim / Vanaheimr / Vanir – Land of the Vanir Gods and GoddessesĪlfheim / Álfheimr / Álfar – Land of the Light Elves Below is a reconstruction:Īsgard / Ásgarðr / Aesir – Land of the Aesir Gods and Goddesses The relationships between the worlds is still uncertain, for example, between Hel, Helheim, Niflhel, and Niflheim. Travel between the worlds are described in myths, where gods and other beings sometimes interact directly with humans.Īlthough the Nine Worlds are mentioned in the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda, descriptions are vague and could have been influenced by later Christian cosmology. Each of these Nine Worlds is the homeland of various classes of beings that are part of Norse and Germanic mythology. These worlds are centered on the World Tree, Yggdrasil, which lies at the centre of the cosmos. No valid distinction can be drawn between the dwarfs and dark elves they appear to have been interchangeable.Norse Cosmology contains ‘nine homeworlds’ (Níu Heimar in Old Norse) in which all beings inhabit. Also, the worlds of Svartalfheim and Nidavellir may have been the same. Midgard the world of people and the first man and woman Ask and Embla Nidavellir the world of dwarves (mountain caves) Alfheim (in the crown) the first kingdom the kingdom of the light elves Asgard (in the crown) the kingdom of the gods (Aesir). This region had no place in the tricentric structure of the universe, and Snorri Sturluson wrote that is was the first world to exist and that is lies in the southern hemisphere. If Hel and Niflheim comprised one world, as is suggested in some sources, the ninth may have been Muspelheim (Muspell), the land of the fire giants.
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