The Nine Realms of Norse/Viking Mythology - An Introduction

Imagining History
6 minutes ago
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In Norse (Viking) mythology, there were nine different worlds, known as "realms" that different creatures, beings and gods called home. Our world, known as Midgard to the Vikings, was just one of those realms. Each of the nine realms is very different from the others, but they were all thought to be connected by an enormous ash tree known as Yggdrasil, or the "world tree". The Norse believed that each world would hang of the branches or grow off the roots of the tree. That's one pooping huge tree!

So what are these nine different realms, I hear you ask? Let's find out.

The Nine Realms of Norse Mythology

A large tree with roots spreads across a mythological landscape, surrounded by mountains and a serpent. A rainbow arcs in the background. — An example of what Yggdrasil the world tree might look like

Asgard

Realm of the Aesir

The Aesir are one of the two families of Norse gods (Vanir being the second). This means that Aesir gods like Odin, Thor, Heimdall and Baldr called Asgard their home. Asgard was described as an epic city with enormous towers and huge walls. The realm also included Valhalla, a great hall where mighty warriors would go after dying on the battlefield. If you wanted to pop over to the nearby realm of Midgard, you could take a trip on the rainbow bridge, called the Bifrost, which connected the two.

Midgard

Realm of the humans

Odin and his brothers created Midgard as a home for the humans they created from the branches of an ash tree and an elm tree. Midgard means "middle place" or "middle enclosure", suggesting that Vikings believed it was in the centre of the nine worlds. A huge snake, known as Jörmungandr, or the "world serpent", surrounded Midgard so completely that it ended up biting it's own tail!

A warrior in a red cloak battles a giant snake with a hammer. The sky is red, and a castle silhouette is in the background. — Here's Thor having a big ol' fight with the world serpent.

Vanaheim

Realm of the Vanir

The Vanir are the second of the two families of Norse gods. The Vanir and the Aesir had a great war against each other that was only settled once the opposing sides offered some of their people to live amongst their enemies. As a result, many Vanir gods, like Freya, went to live in Asgard and many Aesir gods came to live in Vanir instead. This kept the peace between the two godly tribes.

Jötunheim

Realm of the frost giants

The frost giants, or the Jötun, turned up in many of the Norse sagas and were often the bad guys! They lived in Jötunheim, a dark, icy, mountainous realm that was filled with chaos and disorder. Loki was from Jötunheim but lived in Asgard. Asgard and Jötunheim were separated by a vast river that never froze. This made it tricky to cross, but some Aesir gods, like Odin and Thor, would brave the crossing to go on adventures in the realm of the frost giants.

Snowy mountain range under a clear blue sky, with vast, untouched white plains in the foreground, creating a serene and cold atmosphere. — Could this be Niflheim?

Niflheim

Realm of ice and snow

Niflheim was one of the two primordial realms, making it one of the oldest of the nine realms. The realm was a land of ice and mist that was completely devoid of life. Odd then, that this realm was thought to have been the place where all life in the universe began! It was also the location of Hvergelmir, the well that nourished the world tree, Yggdrasil.

Volcano erupting with bright orange lava against a dark, smoky sky. Lava flows down the rocky surface, creating a dramatic, fiery scene. — The fiery realm of Muspelheim

Muspelheim

Realm of fire

Muspelheim was the second of the two primordial realms, but was the complete opposite to Niflheim. Not only was Muspelheim a land of fire of lava, it was also the home of the creature destined to destroy all life, the fire giant Surtr. The Norse myths suggest that Surtr would lead the battle against the gods of Asgard in Ragnorak, otherwise known as * dramatic booming voice * the end of the world!

Alfheim

Realm of the light elves

The elves of Alfheim were described as beautiful and radiant. They were known for their music, art, poetry and magic and often inspired people with creativity. The realm was located not too far from Asgard and was ruled over by one of the Vanir gods, Freyr.

Warrior with a large hammer stands amidst red lightning and smoke, wearing dark armor. The scene is intense and powerful. — Could this be what Thor looked like? Wielding his mighty hammer, forged by the dwarves of Svartalfheim

Nidavellir/Svartalfheim

Realm of the dwarves

The realm of the dwarves was hidden underneath Midgard, deep in the earth. It was made up of a vast series of tunnels, lit only by the fires from the forges and torches used by the dwarves. After all, the dwarves were well known for being skilled crafts-people and metalworkers. They forged lots of important items in the Norse myths, including Thor's famous hammer, Mjolnir.

Helheim

Realm of the dead

Helheim is a gloomy underworld realm located beneath Midgard. It was ruled over by Loki's daughter, Hel, who was sent to the realm to stop her causing any trouble. Surrounded by walls, there was just a single, long, downhill path leading into the realm. Those who died of disease or old age would find themselves in Helheim but it wasn't supposed to be a place of punishment like "hell", although the names are similar.