Nine Worlds of Old Norse Mythology

Disclaimer: I am not a myths scholar. I am simply interested in mythology and how it shapes human behavior and stories. The post below is a synthesis of introductory research about the Nine Worlds of Old Norse mythology and my personal thoughts. It should not be taken as a complete study of the subject verified fact, though I have done my best to ensure its accuracy. My sources are included at the end of the post.

What were the Nine Worlds of Old Norse Mythology?

Old Norse mythology divided the universe into nine separate worlds. At least, based on the limited information available, that’s what present day scholars conclude. The Poetic Edda and Prose Edda mention various beings in reference to places, and these mentions make up most of what we know about the worlds of the Old Norse people. Though various illustrations of the Nine Worlds exist, no one knows for certain what the Old Norse believed when it comes to their arrangement around Yggdrasil the World Tree.

Scholars do mostly agree these worlds were (spellings are anglicized):

Asgard – The realm of gods and goddesses of the Aesir tribe, including Odin. Also the location of Valhalla, which is the afterlife for half of the dead deemed worthy enough to ascend. The other worthy half goes to Fólkvangr.

Vanaheim – The realm of gods and goddesses of the Vanir tribe, the masters of magic/sorcery/and predicting the future. Believed to be the original home of the goddess Freya.

Midgard – The realm of humans, which connects to Asgard by Rainbow Bridge (Bifröst)

Jotunheim – The land of the giants, made of rocks and forest and lacking fertile land.

Niflheim – The primordial world of ice (or fog/mist, depending on the source). A giant dragon named Nidhug protects the eldest spring and chews on the roots of the Yggdrasil, the World Tree.

Muspelheim – The primordial world of fire, made of lava and flames and home to fire giants and fire demons, including one said to attack Asgard during the end of the world (Ragnarök.)

Alfheim – Home of the light elves, who are considered minor gods of nature/fertility who can either aid or obstruct humans and occasionally inspire artists and musicians.

Nidavellir/Svartalfheim – Home of the dwarves, who live in rocks, caves, or underground and are master crafters.

Hel – Named for the governing goddess Hel and the resting place of the dishonorable dead, like thieves, murderers, and people not brave enough to get called up to Valhalla or Folkvangr. A cold place where no joy survives.

How to Use the Nine Norse Worlds as Inspiration

Some things to think about to inform your own stories:

Are your characters monotheistic, polytheistic, atheistic, agnostic, etc?
How do your characters’ spiritual beliefs inform their choices or how they explain the world around them?
Does your story take place in a multiverse? Do the separate universes interact or are the completely cut off from one another?
How are different beings or cultures separated or comingled in your story, and how does that affect your characters?
What about societal structure? Is there a hierarchy that dictates the social order?
What do the different geographical regions in your story look/feel/sound/smell/taste?
How are beliefs passed down in your story’s society? If it’s a mostly oral tradition, does that cause information to get lost between generations? How do future societies understand your story’s culture based on the way they preserve it?

Want more Norse mythology? Check out the Archives.