THE NINE WORLDS OF NORSE MYTHOLOGY: A JOURNEY THROUGH ICELAND
MARCH 2018
The Nine Worlds ASGARD VANAHEIM MIDGARD HEL SVARTALFHEIM NIFLHEIM JOTUNHEIM ALFHEIM MUSPELHEIM
ASGARD World of the Aesir gods
Valhalla Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavík
Bifrรถst & Valhalla Valhalla is a large hall in Asgard which is ruled over by Odin. The hall houses the dead selected by Odin as worthy to live with him. Bifrรถst is the rainbow bridge that runs between Asgard and Midgard. The gods use the rainbow bridge to travel between the two worlds.
Bifrรถst - The Rainbow Bridge Skรณgafoss, Skรณgur
One of Freya’s cats
One of Freya’s cats Downtown Reykjavík
Þjóðminjasafn Íslands, Reykjavík
Odin’s horse, Sleipnir Golden Circle Tour
Thor’s Fishing Expedition
Viking World Museum, Reykjanesbær
On the hunt for a giant cauldron, Thor goes fishing with Hymir, who has a cauldron 3 miles deep. The two embark and Hymir tells Thor must find his own bait. In the end, Thor attempts to reel in the Midgard serpent Jormungundr, fighting it until it returns to the sea.
VANAHEIM World of the Vanir gods
Þingvellir National Park, Þingvellir
Gullfoss, Bláskógabyggð
MIDGARD World of humans (Earth)
Midgard
Midgard is the only world completely visible to mankind. Located between the land of Niflheim and Muspelheim, Midgard is the realm of humans. The world is surrounded by an impassable world of water. Within this water lives the Midgard serpent, Jormungundr, who surrounds the world.
Downtown ReykjavĂk
Downtown Reykjavík
Cafe Babalú, Reykjavík
HEL
World of the dead
Reynisfjara, VÃk
Hel is the underworld, where most of the dead go after they die. The world is ruled over by the godess Hel, one of Loki’s three children. To enter the world, one must cross over a bridge over the Gjaller river. The bridge is guarded by Modgud.
Gjaller River Reynisfjara, VĂk
SVARTALFHEIM World of the dark elves
The Treasures of the Gods
Þingvellir National Park, Þingvellir
When Loki cuts off Thor’s wife Sif’s golden hair, Thor and Loki challenge the Sons of Ivaldi and Brokk and Eitri to a competition: whoever can make the best treasures, which must include a wig for Sif, will be known as the best craftsmen of the land. The dwarves work on the gifts in their forges underground in Svartalfheim. Brokk says he wants Loki’s head if him and Eitri win the contest. Loki must distract the two while they work in order to keep his head.
Clockwise from top: Skidbladnir, Sun Voyager, Reykjavík; dwarf tools, Settlement Exhibition, Reykjavík; Gullenbursti, Downtown Reykjavík
The Treasures of the Gods - Continued The treasures include Odin’s spear Gungnir, Sif’s golden hair, and Frey’s foldable ship Skidbladnir made by the sons of Ivaldi and Odin’s golden arm ring Draupnir, Frey’s golden boar Gullenbursti, and Thor’s hammer Mjollnir from Brokk and Eitri. The gods choose Brokk and Eitri’s gifts. Loki keeps his head since they couldn’t take it without removing part of his neck, which wasn’t part of the deal. The Mead of Poetry - Viking World Museum, Reykjanesbær To avenge the death of his parents, the giant Suttung visits the oceanside fortress of the dark elves Fjalar and Galler. Suttung receives the mead of poetry as compensation for their deaths. Odin obtains this mead through trickery and brings it back to Asgard to share with the gods.
NIFLHEIM World of mist
Strokkur Geysir in Geysir Park, Selfoss & Secret Lagoon, Flúðir
JOTUNHEIM World of the giants
Sรณlheimajรถkull glacier & Reynisfjara, Vik
Land of the frost giants Sólheimajökull glacier, Vík
The Apples of Immortality One day as Thor, Loki, and Hoenir were exploring Jotunheim, they encountered an eagle. The eagle swoops down, taking Loki with him and refusing to give him back until they bring back Idunn and her apples of immortality. These golden apples protect the gods from growing old. Loki tricks Idunn into coming with him to the eagle and bringing her apples. The eagle reveals himself as the giant Thiazi in disguise. Loki saves Idunn by flying to Thiazi’s fortress in falcon form, transforming her into a hazelnut and bringing her home. The gods fight Thiazi and ultimately defeat him and throw his eyes into the sky, making a constellation.
Thiazi in disguise Downtown Reykjavík
Thiazi’s Fortress Culture House, Reykjavík
Utgard mountains Downtown Reykjavík
Utgard cat Downtown Reykjavík
Utgard Along their travels in Jotunheim, Thor and Loki meet a giant who calls himself Utgardaloki. The giant challenges the three of them to test their skills. Thor must empty a drinking horn, lift a cat, and wrestle Utgardaloki’s mother. Thor fails, but the tests were a trick. The horn was filled with the water of the world’s oceans, subsequently creating tides. The cat was the Midgard serpent Jormungundr, and the mother was old age, which no one can beat. The night before, Thor created mountains by dealing blows to Utgardaloki. The giant used magic to place a mountain between them as a shield, and Thor’s hits created three valleys. Tides from the drinking horn Þingvellir National Park, Þingvellir
ALFHEIM World of the elves
Golden Circle Tour
MUSPELHEIM World of flames
Clockwise from top: Keflavik Airport, Sandgerði; Lava Center, Hvolsvollur; Settlement Exhibition, Reykjavík
Emma Sheehan