18 Facts About Valhalla

Valhalla is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, in the Prose Edda, in Heimskringla, and in stanzas of an anonymous 10th century poem commemorating the death of Eric Bloodaxe known as Eiriksmal as compiled in Fagrskinna.

Valhalla inspired innumerable works of art, publication titles, and elements of popular culture, and is synonymous with a martial hall of the chosen dead.

The form "Valhalla" comes from an attempt to clarify the grammatical gender of the word.

Odin describes Valhalla as shining and golden, and it "rises peacefully" as seen from afar.

Valhalla has spear-shafts for rafters, a roof thatched with shields, coats of mail are strewn over its benches, a wolf hangs in front of its west doors, and an eagle hovers above it.

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In stanza 39, Helgi, now in Valhalla, has his former enemy Hunding— in Valhalla—do menial tasks; fetching foot-baths for all of the men there, kindling fire, tying dogs, keeping watch of horses, and feeding the pigs before he can get any sleep.

Valhalla is referenced in the Prose Edda books Gylfaginning and Skaldskaparmal.

Valhalla is first mentioned in chapter 2 of the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning, where it is described partially in euhemerized form.

High additionally states, at sunrise, Odin sends his ravens Huginn and Muninn from Valhalla to fly throughout the entire world, and they return in time for the first meal there.

High replies of course, Valhalla has food and drinks fit for kings and jarls, for the mead consumed in Valhalla is produced from the udders of the goat Heiðrun, who in turn feeds on the leaves of the "famous tree" Læraðr.

In chapter 40, Gangleri muses Valhalla must be quite crowded, to which High responds Valhalla is massive and remains roomy despite the large amount of inhabitants, and then quotes Grimnismal stanza 23.

Hrungnir goes in, demands a drink, and becomes drunk and belligerent, stating that he will remove Valhalla and take it to the land of the jotunn, Jotunheimr, among various other things.

Valhalla is mentioned in euhemerized form and as an element of remaining Norse pagan belief in Heimskringla.

Valhalla is additionally referenced in the phrase "visiting Odin" in a work by the 10th century skald Þjoðolfr of Hvinir describing that, upon his death, King Vanlandi went to Valhalla.

God Bragi asks where a thundering sound is coming from, and says that the benches of Valhalla are creaking—as if the god Baldr had returned to Valhalla—and that it sounds like the movement of a thousand.

Examples include the Walhalla temple built by Leo von Klenze for Ludwig I of Bavaria between 1830 and 1847 near Regensburg, Germany, and the Tresco Abbey Gardens Valhalla museum built by August Smith around 1830 to house ship figureheads from shipwrecks that occurred at the Isles of Scilly, England, near the museum.

Valhalla gives its name to a thrill ride at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, UK.

Valhalla wrote "Big Sur is very like Valhalla—a place that a lot of people have heard of, and that very few can tell you anything about".