(Also see Do People Still Believe in Odin?)Įven in Valhalla, the hard-nosed and practical warrior mindset rules all. These scenes are re-lived each morning, but not for eternity. Nights are spent feasting in the company of the great god Odin, fellow warriors, and the revered Valkyries. Viking sagas describe Valhalla as a warrior’s paradise. Days are spent honing battle skills, and any injuries suffered in the heat of fighting are miraculously healed by day’s end. Even in Valhalla, All Good Things Must Come to an End Whether fallen Viking heroes earned the distinction of reaching the hallowed halls of Valhalla or the idyllic fields of Folkvangr, there was a catch to residing in warrior paradise. The other half, equally noble and honorable in death, pass on to Folkvangr, the lesser-known but equally prestigious realm of the Norse afterlife. While Valhalla is the presumptive Viking heaven in the minds of many, in reality, only half of Norse’s fallen soldiers and warriors end up there. Known as Folkvangr (“field of the army”), this afterlife is ruled by the goddess Freya, whose dominion includes matters of love, beauty, and fertility. There is another realm of the Viking afterlife that also seeks the most courageous and heroic of souls, and by some accounts, it even has the first choice of fallen Vikings from the field of battle. Interestingly, the bravest and fiercest of Viking warriors and Norse leaders may not end up in Valhalla upon their death. How is Ragnarok related to Valhalla? See below There Are Two Heavens in the Viking Afterlife Interested in Norse Mythology? See 14 Great Books on Norse Mythology that explain the gods, heroes, and villains of these ancient stories of Scandinavia. What is sometimes overlooked is the fact that not only do the Valkyries select who among those killed in battle will emerge in Valhalla, but they also choose who lives or dies as the battle unfolds. Odin is accompanied in Valhalla by his beautiful maiden warriors, the Valkyries, who are tasked with selecting the bravest of fallen Viking warriors to join their ranks. With golden, shimmering towers, a roof thatched from shields, and rafters made from spears, Valhalla is a marvelous sight, particularly through the eyes of a Viking warrior. It is where fallen Viking warriors and leaders walk among Norse gods, including the greatest of them all, Odin. So in this sense, Valhalla is similar to the Christian concept of heaven. However, there are major distinctions between the two, starting with who was permitted to enter and how.Īs described in Old Norse writings, Valhalla (“hall of the slain”) is a great hall located in Asgard, one of the nine realms in the Norse universe. Valhalla is widely perceived (somewhat correctly) as the final resting place for Viking warriors killed on the battlefield. As described by Old Norse sagas and texts, Valhalla is a realm of the Norse afterlife that Vikings aspired in life to enter upon their death. What did Valkyries have to do with Valhalla? See below Valhalla is Heaven, but Not for All Vikings How accurate are modern depictions of Vikings? See What Did the Vikings Really Look Like? to learn more.
Some common notions of the Viking afterlife are inaccurate and do not tell the whole story, while other misconceptions are the result of facts becoming obscured over time. What is certain is that the real facts will likely surprise you while deepening your understanding of the Viking world. Many popular beliefs regarding Norse mythology and the Viking way of life (and death) are not entirely accurate. The description of Valhalla is what the Vikings would have considered a paradise. Valkyries, Odin’s maiden warriors, select which elite Viking warriors may enter.
Located in Asgard, Valhalla is where Odin, the god of thunder, reigns.
Valhalla is closer to the concept of heaven than it is to hell, but it is not an exact parallel. It is widely believed that the courage and ferocity of the Viking invaders were rooted in their deeply-held belief that to die in battle was honorable and great rewards awaited them in the afterlife. During the height of the Viking Era, seafaring warriors from what is now Scandinavia terrorized Northern Europe as they raided and plundered towns and villages that could not defend against them.