Uploaded September 2012 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Midgard (an anglicised form of Old Norse Miðgarðr; Old English Middangeard, Old High German Mittilagart, Gothic Midjun-gards; literally "middle enclosure") is the name for the world (in the sense of oikoumene) inhabited by and known to humans in early Germanic cosmology, and specifically one of the Nine Worlds and in Norse religion.
In Norse religion, Asgard (Old Norse: Ásgarðr; meaning "Enclosure of the Æsir" is one of the Nine Worlds and is the country or capital city of the Norse Gods surrounded by an incomplete wall attributed to a Hrimthurs riding the stallion Svaðilfari, according to Gylfaginning. Valhalla is located within Asgard.
Odin and his wife, Frigg, are the rulers of Asgard.
In Norse religion Vanaheimr (Old Norse "home of the Vanir" is one of the Nine Worlds and home of the Vanir, a group of gods associated with fertility, wisdom, and the ability to see the future. Vanaheimr is attested in thePoetic Edda; compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda and (in euhemerized form) Heimskringla; both written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. In the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda, Vanaheimr is described as the location where the Van god Njörðr was raised. In Norse cosmology, Vanaheimr is considered one of the Nine Worlds.
Jötunheimr (or Jotunheimr; often anglicized Jotunheim) is one of the Nine Worlds and the homeland (heim 'home') of the Giants of Norse religion — Rock Giants and Frost Giants. current Jotunheimen.
Alfheim (Old Norse: Ālfheimr, "elf home") is one of the Nine Worlds and home of the Light Elves in Norse mythology and appears also in Anglo-Scottish ballads under the form Elfhame (Elphame, Elfame) as a fairyland, sometimes modernized as Elfland (Elfinland, Elvenland).
In Norse religion, Hel, the location, shares a name with Hel, a female figure associated with the location.
In late Icelandic sources, varying descriptions of Hel are given and various figures are described as being buried with items that will facilitate their journey to Hel after their death. Hel is referred to as a daughter of Loki, and to "go to Hel" is to die. In the Poetic Edda, Brynhildr's trip to Hel after her death is described and Odin, while alive, also visits Hel upon his horse Sleipnir. In Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, Baldr goes to Hel upon death and subsequently Hermóðr uses Sleipnir to attempt to retrieve him.
"Hel-shoes" are described in Gísla saga.
In Norse religion, svartálfar (Old Norse "swart elves" or "black elves", singular svartálfr) are beings who dwell in Svartálfaheimr (Old Norse "world of the swart elves" or "world of the black elves"). Both the svartálfar and Svartálfaheimr are solely attested in the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. Scholars have
noted that the svartálfar appear to be synonymous with dwarfs and potentially also the dökkálfar (Old Norse "dark elves").
Niflheim (or Niflheimr) ("Mist Home", the "Abode of Mist" or "Mist World") is one of the Nine Worlds and is a location in Norse mythology which overlaps with the notions of Niflhel and Hel. The name Niflheimr only appears in two extant sources, Gylfaginning and the much debated Hrafnagaldr Óðins.
In Norse religion, Muspelheim (Old Norse: Múspellsheimr), also called Muspell (Old Norse: Múspell), is a realm of fire.
This realm is one of the Nine Worlds and it is home to the fire jötunn or the "sons of Muspell", and Surtr, their ruler.
It is fire; and the land to the North, Niflheim, is ice. The two mixed and created water from the melting ice in Ginnungagap.
Movies: Thor trailer, Lord of the Ring, Beowulf 2007
Music: Two steps from hell - To Glory
Copyright Disclaimer: Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
Midgard (an anglicised form of Old Norse Miðgarðr; Old English Middangeard, Old High German Mittilagart, Gothic Midjun-gards; literally "middle enclosure") is the name for the world (in the sense of oikoumene) inhabited by and known to humans in early Germanic cosmology, and specifically one of the Nine Worlds and in Norse religion.
In Norse religion, Asgard (Old Norse: Ásgarðr; meaning "Enclosure of the Æsir" is one of the Nine Worlds and is the country or capital city of the Norse Gods surrounded by an incomplete wall attributed to a Hrimthurs riding the stallion Svaðilfari, according to Gylfaginning. Valhalla is located within Asgard.
Odin and his wife, Frigg, are the rulers of Asgard.
In Norse religion Vanaheimr (Old Norse "home of the Vanir" is one of the Nine Worlds and home of the Vanir, a group of gods associated with fertility, wisdom, and the ability to see the future. Vanaheimr is attested in thePoetic Edda; compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda and (in euhemerized form) Heimskringla; both written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. In the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda, Vanaheimr is described as the location where the Van god Njörðr was raised. In Norse cosmology, Vanaheimr is considered one of the Nine Worlds.
Jötunheimr (or Jotunheimr; often anglicized Jotunheim) is one of the Nine Worlds and the homeland (heim 'home') of the Giants of Norse religion — Rock Giants and Frost Giants. current Jotunheimen.
Alfheim (Old Norse: Ālfheimr, "elf home") is one of the Nine Worlds and home of the Light Elves in Norse mythology and appears also in Anglo-Scottish ballads under the form Elfhame (Elphame, Elfame) as a fairyland, sometimes modernized as Elfland (Elfinland, Elvenland).
In Norse religion, Hel, the location, shares a name with Hel, a female figure associated with the location.
In late Icelandic sources, varying descriptions of Hel are given and various figures are described as being buried with items that will facilitate their journey to Hel after their death. Hel is referred to as a daughter of Loki, and to "go to Hel" is to die. In the Poetic Edda, Brynhildr's trip to Hel after her death is described and Odin, while alive, also visits Hel upon his horse Sleipnir. In Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, Baldr goes to Hel upon death and subsequently Hermóðr uses Sleipnir to attempt to retrieve him.
"Hel-shoes" are described in Gísla saga.
In Norse religion, svartálfar (Old Norse "swart elves" or "black elves", singular svartálfr) are beings who dwell in Svartálfaheimr (Old Norse "world of the swart elves" or "world of the black elves"). Both the svartálfar and Svartálfaheimr are solely attested in the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. Scholars have
noted that the svartálfar appear to be synonymous with dwarfs and potentially also the dökkálfar (Old Norse "dark elves").
Niflheim (or Niflheimr) ("Mist Home", the "Abode of Mist" or "Mist World") is one of the Nine Worlds and is a location in Norse mythology which overlaps with the notions of Niflhel and Hel. The name Niflheimr only appears in two extant sources, Gylfaginning and the much debated Hrafnagaldr Óðins.
In Norse religion, Muspelheim (Old Norse: Múspellsheimr), also called Muspell (Old Norse: Múspell), is a realm of fire.
This realm is one of the Nine Worlds and it is home to the fire jötunn or the "sons of Muspell", and Surtr, their ruler.
It is fire; and the land to the North, Niflheim, is ice. The two mixed and created water from the melting ice in Ginnungagap.
Movies: Thor trailer, Lord of the Ring, Beowulf 2007
Music: Two steps from hell - To Glory
Copyright Disclaimer: Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
