Niflheim facts for kids

Niflheim is a world of extreme cold and mist in Norse mythology. It is known as the "World of Mist" or "World of Fog." This ancient realm is one of the first places to exist in the Norse cosmos.

What is Niflheim?

Niflheim is a very cold and dark place. It is filled with thick mist and ice. This world is located far to the north in the Norse universe. It is one of the nine worlds connected by the giant Yggdrasil, the World Tree.

Who Lives in Niflheim?

This frosty land is home to the Giants of frost. These powerful beings are often linked to the cold and ice of Niflheim. The giantess Angrboda is said to rule over Niflheim. She is a powerful figure in Norse myths.

Important Features of Niflheim

Niflheim has some very important features:

• Hvergelmir: This is a huge, bubbling spring or river. It is the source of many rivers that flow through the Norse worlds.
• Yggdrasil's Root: One of the three main roots of the World Tree, Yggdrasil, reaches down into the spring of Hvergelmir in Niflheim.
• Nidhogg: A fearsome serpent named Nidhogg lives in Niflheim. It constantly gnaws at the root of Yggdrasil that is in Hvergelmir. This action shows the ongoing cycle of creation and destruction in Norse myths.

Niflheim in Norse Myths

Niflheim played a key role in the creation of the world. Before anything else existed, there was a great void called Ginnungagap. To the north of this void was Niflheim, a world of ice and mist. To the south was Muspelheim, a world of fire. When the ice from Niflheim met the heat from Muspelheim in Ginnungagap, the first living being, the giant Ymir, was formed. This shows how Niflheim, with its cold and ice, was essential for the beginning of life in Norse mythology.

Images for kids

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  An attempt to illustrate Norse cosmology by Henry Wheaton (1831)