According to Norse cosmology, the known universe was composed of Nine Realms. These realms were Asgard, the near-perfect home of the Aesir deities; Jotunheim, the fallen world of the monstrous jötunn; Midgard, the land of humans; Alfheim, home of the elves; Hel, a resting place for the dead; Vanaheim, the world of the magical Vanir deities; Nidavellir, the subterranean realm of the dwarves; Niflheim, a frigid land of ice and snow; and Muspelheim, a realm of heat and flame.
The Nine Realms hung on the branches, or else grew from the roots and bole of Yggdrasil, the world tree, which gave structure and form to the cosmos. Their position within Yggdrasil determined both their core characteristics and their connections to other realms. Though the realms were distinct from one another, their boundaries were surprisingly porous. Intrepid travelers, both mortal and divine, could and did traverse the liminal spaces between worlds. Asgard and Midgard were connected via the great rainbow bridge known as the Bifrost, making it possible for deities to influence the humans who adored and abhorred them in equal measure....<<<Read More>>>...