The Viking Cosmos: A Comprehensive Guide to Norse Realms
Table of Contents
The cosmology of Norse mythology is rich in detail and captivating, but it can be a bit confusing. While most of us have heard of the Nine Realms, understanding what each realm is, how they are arranged, and how they interact is much more challenging.
This confusion partly stems from the ancient and abstract concepts in Norse mythology. Additionally, the Norse religion was passed down orally for centuries, evolving over time before it was ever written down.
Interestingly, much of what we know today about Norse cosmology comes from Christian writers. These authors likely interpreted the Norse oral traditions through their own religious and cultural perspectives. While some details may have been altered, it’s hard to determine exactly how much this influenced the core understanding of the Nine Realms.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the Nine Realms—what they are, what they represent, and how they fit into the larger Norse universe.
What are the Nine Norse Realms?
The Norse people of Scandinavia, Iceland, and parts of Northern Europe believed that the cosmos consisted of nine worlds or realms, all interconnected by Yggdrasil, the world tree. Though the exact size and dimensions of Yggdrasil varied in their myths, as the Norse didn’t fully comprehend the universe’s vastness, the tree remained the central pillar of existence. Each of the Nine Realms housed a distinct race of beings, and together, these realms contained all life in the universe.
How are the Nine Realms Arranged in the Cosmos / on Yggdrasil?
In some myths, the Nine Realms spread across Yggdrasil’s crown like fruits. In others, they stacked vertically along the tree, with the “good” realms at the top and the “evil” ones at the bottom. This vertical arrangement likely came later, influenced by Christian writers.
Regardless of their placement, the Norse saw Yggdrasil as a cosmic constant—a force that existed before the realms and would last as long as the universe. In many ways, Yggdrasil represented the universe itself.
The Norse didn’t have a fixed idea of the Nine Realms’ size. Some myths described them as separate worlds, while others—and even some historical accounts—suggested that people could reach these realms by sailing far enough across the ocean.
How Were the Nine Realms Created?
In the beginning, Yggdrasil, the world tree, stood alone in the cosmic void of Ginnungagap. Only two realms existed: Muspelheim, the fiery realm, and Niflheim, the icy land. Both were lifeless elemental planes until the flames of Muspelheim melted some of Niflheim’s ice. From the water droplets, the first being, Ymir, emerged. Ymir soon created life, forming more jötnar (giants) from his sweat and blood.
While Ymir birthed more giants, he survived by nursing from Auðumbla, a cosmic cow that also came from the melted ice of Niflheim. As Auðumbla licked a salty block of ice, she uncovered Buri, the first Norse god. Buri’s descendants, including his grandsons Odin, Vili, and Ve, mixed with Ymir’s jötnar offspring to produce more gods.
Odin, Vili, and Ve eventually killed Ymir and created the world from his corpse:
- Flesh became the land.
- Bones formed the mountains.
- Skull became the sky.
- Hair became the trees.
- Sweat and blood became the rivers and seas.
- Brains formed the clouds.
- Eyebrows became Midgard, the realm of humans.
The gods then created the first two humans, Ask and Embla. With Muspelheim and Niflheim predating everything, and Midgard formed from Ymir’s eyebrows, the remaining realms were likely created from the rest of Ymir’s body.
1. Muspelheim – The Primordial Realm of Fire
There isn’t much mentioned about Muspelheim in Norse mythology beyond its role in the creation myth. Initially, it was a barren, fiery plane with endless flames. However, after Ymir’s death, some of his jötnar children made Muspelheim their home.
These jötnar were transformed by the fire into “fire giants” or “fire jötnar.” Among them, Surtr rose as the most powerful. He became the lord of Muspelheim, wielding a massive fire sword said to shine brighter than the sun.
For most of Norse mythology, the fire giants of Muspelheim stayed isolated. The Aesir gods, like Odin and Thor, rarely ventured into the fiery realm, and the fire giants under Surtr largely kept to themselves, showing little interest in the affairs of the other realms.
That all changes with Ragnarok, the end of the world. When Ragnarok comes, Surtr will lead his fiery army out of Muspelheim, crossing the rainbow bridge Bifrost. On his way, he will kill the Vanir god Freyr and play a major role in the destruction of Asgard, the home of the gods.
2. Niflheim – The Primordial Realm of Ice and Mist
Niflheim, along with Muspelheim, was one of the two original realms that existed before the gods. Niflheim began as a cold, elemental world of frozen rivers, glaciers, and swirling mists. Unlike Muspelheim, which became home to fire giants, Niflheim remained largely uninhabited after Ymir’s death due to its harsh conditions. The only notable resident was Hel, Loki’s daughter and goddess of the dead. She ruled over the souls not chosen for Valhalla or Fólkvangr, turning Niflheim into the Norse version of the Underworld.
However, unlike traditional views of hell, Niflheim wasn’t a place of punishment. It was a cold, empty realm that reflected the Norse fear of nothingness and inaction, rather than pain or suffering.
Some might ask whether Hel had her own realm separate from Niflheim. In a way, yes. Christian writers like Snorri Sturluson likely added the “realm of Hel” by merging Svartalfheim and Nidavellir. In those interpretations, Hel ruled a distinct underworld, separate from Niflheim’s icy land.
Even so, Niflheim’s significance in Norse mythology remains crucial. It played a vital role in the creation of life, as the god Buri was found in a block of salty ice in Niflheim. Muspelheim’s only contribution was providing the heat to thaw it, while Niflheim held the key to life’s beginning.
3. Midgard – Humanity’s Realm
Midgard, created from Ymir’s eyebrows, was the realm Odin, Vili, and Ve gave to mankind. They used Ymir’s eyebrows to build walls around Midgard, protecting it from the jötnar and other dangers.
Recognizing that the humans they created—Ask and Embla—were not strong enough to defend themselves, the gods fortified Midgard. They later built the Bifrost rainbow bridge, connecting Midgard to their own realm, Asgard.
In the Prose Edda, Snorri Sturluson’s Gylfaginning describes Midgard as a circular world surrounded by a deep sea. Beyond these waters, the giants were given land to live on, but the gods built a fortress wall to protect humans from the giants.
Midgard was central to many Norse myths, serving as the stage for gods, men, and monsters to battle for survival and power. Since Norse mythology was passed down orally for centuries, history and mythology often intertwine, leaving scholars to wonder which ancient figures were real and which were mythological heroes.
4. Asgard – The Realm of The Aesir Gods
Asgard is perhaps the most famous of the Nine Realms, home to the Aesir gods led by Odin, the Allfather. Myths don’t specify which part of Ymir’s body became Asgard, nor do they agree on its exact location on Yggdrasil. Some say it lies in Yggdrasil’s roots alongside Niflheim and Jotunheim, while others place it above Midgard.
Asgard itself was divided into twelve smaller realms, each the home of a different god. Valhalla was Odin’s golden hall, Breidablik was the shining home of Baldur, and Thrudheim was the domain of Thor.
These realms were often described as mansions or castles, similar to those of Norse chieftains. Asgard was vast, and it was where fallen heroes trained for Ragnarok in Valhalla. The only way to enter Asgard was by sea or through the Bifrost bridge, which connected Asgard and Midgard.
5. Jotunheim – The Realm of Giants and Jötnar
Jotunheim, also known as Utgard, was the realm of the jötnar, the giant offspring of Ymir. If Niflheim was the land of the dead, Jotunheim was the realm the Norse people feared the most. It was a place of chaos, untamed magic, and wilderness.
Located near Midgard, Jotunheim was the reason the gods built a giant wall to protect humanity. It stood as the opposite of Asgard—chaos versus divine order. The Aesir gods had carved out order from Ymir’s body, but the jötnar continuously tried to plunge the world back into chaos.
According to prophecy, the jötnar will succeed one day. They are destined to march on Asgard during Ragnarok, alongside Surtr’s flaming army from Muspelheim and the dead souls of Niflheim, led by Loki.
6. Vanaheim – The Realm of The Vanir Gods
In Norse mythology, Asgard isn’t the only divine realm. The lesser-known Vanir gods reside in Vanaheim, with Freyja, the fertility goddess, as their chief. Although few myths describe Vanaheim, scholars believe it was likely a lush, green realm associated with peace, light magic, and fertility.
Norse mythology includes two pantheons of gods, the Aesir and Vanir, likely because they originated from separate religions. Many scholars suggest the Germanic tribes in Europe worshipped the warlike Aesir gods, led by Odin, while the people of ancient Scandinavia venerated the peaceful Vanir gods, focused on fertility. As these cultures merged, their belief systems intertwined, giving rise to Norse mythology as we know it.
This explains the existence of two afterlife destinations—Odin’s Valhalla and Freyja’s Fólkvangr. The clash between the two pantheons is also reflected in the Aesir-Vanir War. In this myth, the warlike Aesir, likely starting the conflict, fought the peaceful Vanir, who generally avoided conflict. Peace talks followed the war, leading to the exchange of hostages and eventual unity. As a result, some Vanir gods, like Freyr and Njord, moved to Asgard.
This may explain why few myths focus on Vanaheim. While the gods of Asgard were busy battling the jötnar of Jotunheim, the Vanir gods seemed content to remain in peace.e.
7. Alfheim – The Realm of The Bright Elves
Alfheim, located high in the heavens near the crown of Yggdrasil, was said to be close to Asgard. Known as the realm of the bright elves (Ljósálfar), it was ruled by the Vanir gods, particularly Freyr (Freyja’s brother). Despite being under Vanir rule, Alfheim was mostly considered the domain of the elves, with the Vanir seemingly taking a hands-off approach to governance.
Historically, many scholars believe that Alfheim refers to a specific region near the border of Norway and Sweden, particularly between the mouths of the rivers Glom and Gota. The ancient Scandinavians viewed the people living in this area as “fairer” than others, associating them with the bright elves of Alfheim.
Similar to Vanaheim, little is recorded about Alfheim in the surviving pieces of Norse mythology. From what we know, it was likely a land of peace, beauty, fertility, and love, untouched by the wars between Asgard and Jotunheim.
It’s also worth noting that, after medieval Christian scholars distinguished between Hel and Niflheim, they combined the dark elves (Dökkálfar) of Svartalheim with the bright elves of Alfheim. They also merged Svartalheim with Nidavellir, the realm of the dwarves.
8. Svartalheim – The Realm of The Dark Elves
We know even less about Svartalheim than we do about Alfheim or Vanaheim. There aren’t many recorded myths about Svartalheim because the Christian authors who preserved the few Norse myths we have today replaced this realm with Hel.
However, we do hear about the dark elves in Norse mythology, described as the mischievous or evil counterparts to the bright elves of Alfheim. While the significance of distinguishing between bright and dark elves is unclear, Norse mythology often deals in dichotomies, so this division fits within that theme. The dark elves are briefly mentioned in a few myths, such as Hrafnagaldr Óðins and Gylfaginning.
Some scholars confuse the dark elves with the dwarves of Norse myth, as the two were grouped together after Svartalheim was removed from the list of nine realms. For example, certain sections of the Prose Edda mention “black elves” (Svartálfar), which may be a different term for dwarves, not the same as the dark elves (Dökkálfar).
If we follow the modern view of Norse cosmology, which counts Hel and Niflheim as separate realms, Svartalheim no longer stands as its own distinct realm.
9. Nidavellir – The Realm of The Dwarves
Nidavellir has always been part of the Nine Realms. Located deep underground, it’s the home of the dwarven smithswho crafted countless magical items. The gods of both the Aesir and Vanir frequently visited Nidavellir for its renowned craftsmanship.
For instance, Nidavellir is where the Mead of Poetry was created, later stolen by Odin to inspire poets. It’s also where Thor’s hammer Mjolnir was forged after Loki, his trickster uncle, commissioned it. Loki had cut off the hair of Thor’s wife, Lady Sif, and Thor, furious with Loki’s mischief, sent him to Nidavellir to replace her lost hair with magical golden locks.
To make up for his actions, Loki asked the dwarves to create not only new hair for Sif but also other legendary items, such as Thor’s hammer Mjolnir, Odin’s spear Gungnir, the ship Skidbladnir, the golden boar Gullinbursti, and the golden ring Draupnir. Many of the most famous treasures and weapons in Norse mythology were crafted by the dwarves of Nidavellir.
Interestingly, Nidavellir and Svartalfheim were often confused or merged by Christian authors. In the story of Loki and Thor’s hammer, the dwarves are said to be in Svartalfheim. However, since Nidavellir is meant to be the realm of the dwarves, it’s likely that the original oral myths correctly placed these events in Nidavellir.
Do All Nine Norse Realms Get Destroyed During Ragnarok?
In Norse mythology, Ragnarok marks the end of the world. During this final battle, the armies of Muspelheim, Niflheim/Hel, and Jotunheim successfully destroy the gods, the heroes, and all of Asgard and Midgard. Humanity perishes along with them.
But what about the other realms?
All nine realms are destroyed during Ragnarok, including those not directly involved in the battle. This destruction doesn’t come from war alone. Instead, it results from the rot and decay that accumulated in Yggdrasil, the world tree. Norse mythology presents a cyclical view of life, where chaos eventually triumphs over order.
However, Ragnarok doesn’t mean complete annihilation. Several gods survive, including Thor’s sons Móði and Magni, who carry Mjolnir, and Odin’s sons Vidar and Vali. In some versions of the myth, the twin gods Höðr and Baldr also survive.
The survivors walk on the scorched remains of the Nine Realms, witnessing the slow regrowth of life. This mirrors the Norse belief in cycles—destruction leads to rebirth. The Nine Realms, along with Yggdrasil, will eventually rise again.
Some believe the survivors might be frozen in Niflheim’s ice, waiting to be uncovered as new incarnations of the gods.
Wrapping Up
The nine Norse realms are simultaneously straightforward as well as fascinating and convoluted. Some are much less known than others, thanks to the scarcity of written records and the many mistakes among them. This almost makes the nine realms even more interesting, as it leaves room for speculation.
