Asgard

Asgard

Asgard is the fortress home of the gods, surrounded by a great wall. More specifically, it is the home of the Aesir and a few Vanir located high up in the branches of the World-Tree. The only entry is across Bifrost, the rainbow, and one has to get past Heimdall the sentry to gain access. Within this divine region were many halls and bright dwellings, roofed in precious metals tall mountains, bright sunlight, crisp and bracing air, green forests and meadows. Valhalla, the seat of Odin’s power, is in Asgard, along with Folkvangr. Both of these areas are where the honored dead go when chosen.

Bifrost

Gladsheim

Glaðsheimr (“bright home”) is the realm in Asgard where Odin’s hall of Valhalla is located.

Glaðsheimr is a meeting hall, containing twelve high seats where the male Asgardians hold council, near the hall of Vingólf where the Asgardian goddesses gathered.

Valhalla

Vanaheim

Midgard (Scandinavia)

Midgard is the land of humans, literally the “Middle land.” During creation “Bur’s sons lifted the level land / [Midgard] the mighty there they made” Midgard shares its border with Jotunheim, the land of giants; The Midgard Serpent, Jormungandr, lies in the seas around Midgard, surrounding it and swallowing its own tail.

Vingolf

Abode of goddesses in Asgard

Well of Urd

The Well of Urd the well in Asgard which fed one of the roots of the Yggdrasil. Also near the well in a hall are three Norns that tend the well – Urd, Verdandi, and Skuld. They engrave the fate of all humans onto the trunk of the Yggdrasil and attend to the needs of the tree. Odin dropped his eye into the well to gain the “Gift of Knowledge.” Odin completed two other tasks to gain the “Gift of Poetry” and the “Mysteries of Nature.”

• Alfheim
• Jotunheim 
• Muspellheim
• Svartalfaheim, 

Niflheim

Niflheim is the other half of the primordial worlds. Literally the “land of mists,” Niflheim “was made many ages before the earth was created, and at its centre is the spring called Hvergelmir” and “coldness and all things grim came from Niflheim.

Helheim

Also known as Niflhel or just Hel, Helheim is the realm of the dead.