Explore the Cities of...

Sort by:
Name | Date

Ljossalfheim is also known as Álfheim (Old Norse Álfheimr 'Elf home') and is the realm of the Álfar or bright Elves. A place of great beauty, the world is described as a pleasant sunny place with meadows, forests, seas and islands. The elven race, taller and longer lived are said to be more beautiful than humans and the realm lies close to Asgard. The god Fréyr was given this place as a gift when he got his first tooth.

In stanza 5 of the Eddic poem Grímnismál we read:

Ydalir call they the place where Ull
A hall for himself hath set;
And Álfheim the Gods to Frey once gave
As a tooth-gift in ancient times.

In Snorri Sturluson's Gylfaginning, we also read of this world:

"That which is called Álfheim is where the peoples called Light-elves [Ljósálfar] dwell; but the Dark-elves [dökkálfar] dwell down below the earth, and they are unlike in appearance, but by far more unlike in nature. The Light-elves are fairer to look upon than the sun, but the Dark-elves are blacker than pitch."

Ljossalfheim is considered a part of the southernmost end of heaven that's said will survive when heaven and earth have passed away. The light elves inhabit these mansions now but we are yet to see what will come in the aftertime of Ragnarök.