Alfheim

Alfheim was one of the Nine Realms in Norse mythology, home to both Light Elves and Dark Elves, and was ruled by the god Freyr. The few mentions of Alfheim describe it as a glorious realm, with inhabitants who are both as beautiful as the sun and as dark as pitch.

Alfheim, rarely mentioned in the sources, was an elf-inhabited world among the Nine Realms. In Norse tradition, there were two types of elves: the Ljósálfar ("Light Elves") and the Dökkálfar ("Dark Elves"). Although Alfheim itself is never fully described, one can infer that the realm embodied the extremes of light and darkness that characterized its inhabitants.

Alfheim was said to be ruled by Freyr, indicating a deep connection with the magic of the Vanir gods. Like the other realms, Alfheim was located on the branches of Yggdrasil, the World Tree at the center of Norse cosmology.

Etymology

The name Alfheim (Old Norse: Álfheimr) is derived from the Old Norse words for "elf" and "home," meaning "Home of the Elves."

Mythology

Little is known about Alfheim and its origins. In Grímnismál from the Poetic Edda, written by Snorri Sturluson in the 13th century, Alfheim is mentioned briefly in a long list of places recited by Odin (disguised as a traveler named Grimnir):

"Ydalir they call the place where Ullr has built a hall for himself;
And Alfheim the gods gave to Freyr
As a tooth gift in ancient times."

Alfheim is mentioned again in the Gylfaginning of the Prose Edda, Snorri’s retelling of the mythological events from the Poetic Edda. In this account, Alfheim is discussed by King Harr in a conversation with Gangleri, the main narrator of the story:

"There are many places, and they are glorious. The one called Álfheimr is the place where the people called the Light Elves dwell; but the Dark Elves dwell beneath the earth, and they are unequal in appearance, but much more unequal in nature. The Light Elves are fairer than the sun, but the Dark Elves are blacker than pitch."

While this description mostly focuses on the elves of the region, it also suggests the complex and somewhat contradictory nature of Alfheim.

Pop Culture

Alfheim plays a significant role in the 2018 video game God of War, where players can explore the realm as the war hero Kratos. As one of the key worlds in the game, Alfheim is portrayed as a place of constant warfare.

In the Marvel Comics series Thor, Alfheim is described as a wondrous place with wine springs, trees bearing delicious fruit, and endless gardens. Alongside the sturdy elves who mastered flying machines, Alfheim is inhabited by fairies, goblins, unicorns, and other fantastic creatures.