The Nine Realms
From golden Asgard to frozen Niflheimr — the cosmology of the Norse universe.
AsgardÁsgarðr
Realm of the ÆsirThe fortified realm of the Æsir gods, high in the branches of Yggdrasil, reached by the rainbow bridge Bifröst — home of Valhalla and the halls of the gods.
MidgardMiðgarðr
Realm of humankindThe 'Middle Enclosure' — the world of human beings, walled with Ymir's eyebrows, ringed by the ocean where the World Serpent lies coiled.
Jötunheimr
Realm of the giantsThe wild realm of the jötnar beyond the fences of gods and men — mountains, ironwood, and the strongholds of the giants, where the gods go to woo, steal, and fight.
Niflheimr
Realm of primordial ice and mistThe world of ice, fog, and cold that existed before the earth — source of the eleven rivers of the void, and the region where Hel's realm of the dead lies.
Múspellsheimr
Realm of primordial fireThe world of fire that existed before the earth, guarded by Surtr with his flaming sword; its sparks became the sun, moon, and stars — and its riders end the world.
Vanaheimr
Realm of the VanirThe realm of the Vanir, the gods of fertility, wealth, and seiðr magic — homeland of Njörðr, Freyr, and Freyja, joined to the Æsir by hostage-exchange after the first war.
Álfheimr
Realm of the elvesThe world of the light-elves, 'fairer than the sun to look upon,' given to the god Freyr as a tooth-gift in his infancy.
Svartálfaheimr
Realm of the dwarvesThe underground world of the dwarves: master-smiths born as maggots in Ymir's flesh, who forged every great treasure the gods own.
HelheimrHel
Realm of the deadThe realm of the ordinary dead beneath the roots of Yggdrasil, ruled by Loki's daughter Hel — reached by a long road north and down, over the river Gjöll.