According to Norse cosmology, the universe is held together by an enormous, ever-green ash tree called Yggdrasil. It holds among its roots and branches the nine realms. Principal among these realms is Asgard, the stronghold of the Aesir gods, led by Odin the All-Father, which sits among the highest branches of the world tree.
While the Vikings imagined Asgard as a divine and fantastical realm, they also imagined that it was a reflection of the kingdoms and long halls that they called home. This is what we know about Asgard.
Enclosure of the Norse Gods
In old Norse, Asgard means “enclosure of the Aesir”. The Aesir gods were one of several clans of gods. The Aesir were led by Odin and also included his son, the mighty Thor.
But there were also the Vanir gods, nature and fertility deities, who lived in Vanaheim. The Jotun, or giants, can also be considered gods since they shared the same power as the gods and were constantly warring and interbreeding with them. They lived in a realm called Vanaheim. There were also the elves, who are often described in the same breath as the gods and lived in a realm called Alfheim.
You might have noticed that while all the other realms are referred to as “heims”, Asgard is a “gard”. The only other realm described in this way is Midgard, the realm of men that was created by the Aesir gods. The term “gard” suggests a fortified enclosure where law and order reign. The ending “heim” means home, and is suggestive of more natural and even chaotic realms.
Therefore it should be no surprise that Asgard was fortified by a great, but incomplete, wall.
The Walls of Asgard
According to Norse mythology, the walls of Asgard were constructed near the beginning of time, but after the conclusion of the Aesir-Vanir War.
These two races of gods fought because the Aesir did not approve of the Vanir way of life, which they considered immoral, as it included practices such as incest. Nevertheless, these cousins managed to end their war, and Vanir hostages were sent to live in Asgard among the Aesir. These included Njord, the god of sailing, and his two children, Freyr and Freya.
Having concluded their war, the Aesir were looking to fortify their home against future threats. Hearing of their need, a builder came to Asgard and offered to build their wall, in return for the hand of Freya in marriage, as well as the sun and the moon. Understandably, the Aesir were unwilling to pay such a high price.
By this time, Loki had already taken up residence in Asgard. He made some kind of blood-brother agreement with Odin which allowed him to stay in Asgard, despite all of the trouble he caused. On this occasion, he convinced the Aesir that they should take the builder up on his offer, and get him to build the wall for them for free by making the task impossible. As such, the Aesir agreed to the terms of the builder on the condition that he complete the work in a single season, and that he had the help of no man. The builder also agreed, as long as he could use his horse, Svadilfari, to help him.
It soon became apparent that this was no ordinary horse, and that its strength and endurance would make it possible for the builder to indeed complete his work on time. Worried by this possibility, and angry at Loki for convincing them to agree to the deal, they demand that Loki fix the problem. So, when the wall was almost complete and there was only one day of building left, Loki sabotaged the work by turning himself into a beautiful mare and distracting the horse.
The builder failed to fully complete the work so the gods did not pay. Moreover, when they learned that the builder was a giant, they had Thor kill him. Some months later, Loki also gave birth to a child, Sleipnir, an eight-legged horse that became the steed of Odin.
The Aesir left the wall incomplete, but it was nevertheless sufficient to protect the realm. Thor was also made the protector of Asgard and Midgard, the realm that the gods had created for mankind, as the strongest of the Aesir.
The Rainbow Bifrost Bridge
The Rainbow Bifrost Bridge connects Asgard with Midgard. According to one Norse mythology story, the bridge appears like a rainbow to men but is just three colors. The red color is burning fire that stops the giants from crossing the bridge and entering Asgard
According to another story, the gods ride across the bridge on their horses daily, except for Thor, who instead wades through the boiling waters of the rivers Kormt and Ormt beneath.
The most common way to get to Asgard seems to have been flying. There are several stories of gods and giants turning themselves into birds so that they can fly to Asgard.
The 12 Realms of Asgard
According to descriptions, Asgard is divided into twelve realms, each under the rule of a different deity. Within their realms, the gods dwelled in magnificent halls, resembling those of Viking lords, but on a much grander scale. The names and descriptions of some of these realms and halls are still known today.
By far the most famous Asgardian realm is Valhalla. This was a realm of Odin and Valhalla is the hall where he brings warriors who had died bravely in battle. There they feast and train, preparing to fight alongside the gods at Ragnarok. The hall itself is described as enormous and majestic with a thatched roof made from golden shields.
Valhalla may be the name of the realm, which may have contained another hall said to belong to Odin, Valaskjalf, which means “shelf of the slain” in old Norse. This is where Hlidskjalf, Odin’s high throne, was located. Seated here, Odin could look out over all the nine worlds of the Norse cosmos and see all things.
Odin’s wife Frigg also had a hall in Asgard called Fensalir. This is where Loki went disguised as an old woman to gain the information that he needed to kill Balder. Fensalir may be synonymous with another Asgardian hall called Sokkvabekkr, where a mighty seeress goddess is said to dwell. Frigg is also known for her ability as a seeress, though she never tells anyone what she sees. Odin is described as often sharing a drink with the goddess of that hall.
The realm of Thor in Asgard is called Thrudheim, which basically means stronghold, and his hall is called Bilskirnir, which means “lightning crack”. Thor dwells here with his wife Sif and their children when he is not out on his adventures. It is said to have 540 rooms.
Odin’s son Balder also has a realm in Asgard. His hall there is called Breidbadlik and is said to be the most grand and handsome of all the majestic halls in Asgard. It is also a place into which nothing unclean can pass.
Balder’s son, Forseti, the god of justice, also has a hall in Asgard called Glitnir, which features pillars of gold and a roof of silver. As the mediator and peacekeeper of the gods, it is here that Forseti hears cases and passes judgments.
Heimdall has a hall named Himingjork, which is located where the Bifrost bridge enters Asgard to facilitate his role as the watchman of the gods. The hunting god Ullr, a son of Sif and stepson of Thor, also has a dwelling, Ydalir.
One of the other better-known realms in Asgard is Folkvangr, the domain of the goddess Freya, one of the Vanir gods that live in Asgard. Like Valhalla, this is a realm where brave warriors are taken to dwell after death. Actually, according to some interpretations, Freya gets first pick of the fallen. The name of her hall is Sessrumnir, which is again described as large and beautiful.
Idovall is a central plain in Asgard which the gods often used as a meeting place. There is located Gladsheimr, a meeting hall containing thirteen high seats for the gods, and Vingolf, another hall for the goddesses. According to the Ragnarok prophecy, this is also where the surviving gods will meet to build a new world.
Asgard and Ragnarok
While Asgard is described by some sources as being surrounded by divine protection, even the gods cannot escape fate, and their downfall is predicted in the Ragnarok prophecy. When this apocalypse comes, all of the nine worlds of the Norse cosmos will burn in chaos, and most of the important Norse gods will die, including Odin, Thor, Heimdall, Freyr, Heimdall, and Tyr.
Asgard certainly will not survive unscathed. Its destruction will start when the fire giants escape from Muspelheim and make their way across the Bifrost bridge, which will crumble under them. But this will not stop the giant legion from entering Asgard, and they will be joined by a legion of the dead led by Loki. These armies, together with Loki’s sons Fenrir, the great wolf, and Jormungandr, the Midgard Serpent, will see the utter destruction of Asgard before dying themselves.
The only part of the heavenly realm to survive will be Idovall, the fields at the center of the realm. Here the few surviving gods will meet to begin to rebuild the world. They will recreate the splendor of Asgard, starting with a new hall calledGimli, which will have a gold roof, just like many of the halls that it is replacing.
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