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In Norse mythology, Asgard (Old Norse: Ásgarðr [ˈɑːsˌɡɑrðz̠]; "enclosure of the Æsir") is one of the nine worlds that exist in the universe. It is considered the home of the Æsir gods and goddesses, who are the principal deities in Norse mythology. Asgard is often depicted as a magnificent fortress or city that is located at the center of the universe, surrounded by high walls that are guarded by the god Heimdall.

The exact location of Asgard in Norse mythology is not always clear, but it is generally believed to be situated high above the earth, possibly in the sky or in the clouds. It is said to be connected to the other worlds by the Bifrost bridge, which is a rainbow bridge that can only be crossed by the gods and certain legendary heroes. Many of the well-known Nordic gods are Æsir or live in Asgard such as Odin, Thor, Loki, and Baldr.

In some myths, Asgard is also depicted as being located on a mountaintop or on a sacred island. Overall, the location of Asgard in Norse mythology is symbolic rather than physical, representing a spiritual and mystical realm that is separate from the human world.

The Poetic Edda

In the Poetic Edda, a collection of Old Norse poems that were compiled in the 13th century, Asgard is mentioned frequently as the home of the gods and goddesses. The poem Völuspá provides a detailed account of the creation of the universe, including the building of Asgard by the gods. It is also mentioned in Hymiskviða, when Thor and Týr journey from Asgard to Hymir's hall to obtain a cauldron large enough to brew beer for a feast for Ægir and the gods. The second instance is in Þrymskviða when Loki is attempting to convince Thor to dress up as Freyja in order to get back Mjölnir by claiming that without his hammer to protect them, jötnar would soon be living in Asgard.

Other poems in the collection describe Asgard as a magnificent fortress that is protected by the god Heimdall, and as a place where the gods hold court and make decisions. The poem Grímnismál also provides a list of the twelve halls that are located in Asgard and are associated with different gods and goddesses. Grímnismál contains among its cosmological descriptions, a number of abodes of the gods, such as Álfheim, Nóatún and Valhall, which some scholars have identified as being in Asgard. It is to be noted, however, that Asgard is not mentioned at any point in the poem. Furthermore, Völuspá references Iðavöllr, one of the most common meeting places of Æsir gods, which in Gylfaginning, Snorri locates in the centre of Asgard.

Overall, the Poetic Edda portrays Asgard as a central and important location in Norse mythology, where the gods reside and from where they rule over the universe.

The Prose Edda

Prologue

In the Prose Edda, Asgard is depicted as a magnificent city that is situated in the middle of the universe, and is surrounded by a high wall that is guarded by the god Heimdall. The city is said to be comprised of many different halls and houses, each associated with a different god or goddess.

The Prose Edda also provides more information about the history and mythology of Asgard, including the story of how the gods built the city and how they acquired various magical objects that are kept in Asgard, such as Thor's hammer Mjolnir.

The Prose Edda's euhemeristic prologue portrays the Æsir gods as people that travelled from the East to northern territories. According to Snorri, Asgard represented the town of Troy before Greek warriors overtook it. After the defeat, Trojans moved to northern Europe, where they became a dominant group due to their “advanced technologies and culture”. Eventually, other tribes began to perceive the Trojans and their leader Trór (Thor in Old Norse) as gods.

Additionally, the Prose Edda describes Asgard as a place where the gods hold court and make decisions, and where they prepare for the final battle of Ragnarok, which will mark the end of the world. Overall, the Prose Edda provides a more comprehensive and detailed account of Asgard and its importance in Norse mythology.

Interpretation and Discussion

In Norse mythology, Asgard is generally understood to be the home of the gods and goddesses and is portrayed as a magnificent fortress or city that is located at the center of the universe.

Asgard is also associated with a sense of order, justice, and divine authority, as it is where the gods hold court and make decisions that affect the fate of the world. It is also believed to be a place of great beauty and luxury, where the gods live in splendor and are served by various magical creatures.

In modern times, Asgard has been interpreted in various ways, including as a symbol of power, authority, and control, as well as a representation of the ideal society or the perfect utopia. It has also been used in popular culture, such as in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where Asgard is portrayed as a technologically advanced civilization inhabited by powerful beings.

Cosmology in Old Nordic religion is presented in a vague and often contradictory manner when viewed from a naturalistic standpoint. Snorri places Asgard in the center of the world, surrounded by Midgard and then the lands inhabited by jötnar, all of which are finally encircled by the sea. He also locates the homes of the gods in the heavens. This had led to the proposition of a system of concentric circles, centered on Asgard or Yggdrasil, and sometimes with a vertical axis, leading upwards towards the heavens. There is debate between scholars over whether the gods were conceived of as living in the heavens, with some aligning their views with Snorri, and others proposing that he at times presents the system in a Christian framework and that this organization is not seen in either Eddic or skaldic poetry. The concept of attempting to create a spatial cosmological model has itself been criticized by scholars who argue that the oral traditions did not form a naturalistic, structured system that aimed to be internally geographically consistent. An alternative proposal is that the world should be conceived of as a number of realms connected by passages that cannot be typically traversed. This would explain how Asgard can be located both to the east and west of the realm of men, over the sea and over Bifröst.

It has been noted that the tendency to link Asgard to Troy is part of a wider European cultural practice of claiming Trojan origins for one's culture, first seen in the Aeneid and also featuring in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia regum Britanniae for the founding of Britain.