'Valhalla' (
Old Norse ''Valhöll'', "Hall of the slain") is
Odin's hall in
Norse mythology, located in
Gladsheim and is the home for those slain gloriously in battle (known as
Einherjar) who are welcomed by
Bragi and escorted to Valhalla by the
valkyries.
Valgrind
The main gate is called Valgrind, which is described in ''
GrÃmnismál'' as a "sacred gate", behind which are the "holy doors" and "there are few who can tell the manner by which it is locked". The hall itself has 540 doors, so wide that 800 warriors could walk through side-by-side. It is said that there is room enough for all those chosen. Here, every day, the slain warriors who will assist Odin in
Ragnarök, the gods' final conflict with the giants, arm themselves for battle and ride forth by the thousands to engage in mock combat on the plains of
Asgard. Those who die in the combat will be brought back to life. At night, they return to Valhalla to feast on roasted boar (
SæhrÃmnir) and drink intoxicating drink. Those who do not get to Valhalla go to the home of the dead (
Hel), a place beneath the underworld (
Niflheim), or one of various other places. Those who are lost at sea, for example, are taken to
Ægir's hall at the bottom of the sea.
In addition to the
valkyries and the
Einherjar, a rooster named
Gullinkambi lives there.
In
Beowulf, it is called ''the shining citadel''.
Modern etymology
Valhalla is a 19th century
English mis
translation of the singular Valhöll into a genitival plural form. A more literally correct English translation is Val-hall, but Valhalla is by far the most common form in general use.
Valhalla Temple
In the early 19th century,
King Ludwig I of Bavaria ordered the construction of the
Walhalla Temple, a place of honor for historically notable Germanic figures inspired by Valhalla, near
Regensburg,
Germany.
'Valhalla' by Yngwie J Malmsteen
A classical-electro-metal song by Swedish guitar legend Yngwie Malmsteen.
Modern Culture
The British hard rock band
Led Zeppelin mentions Valhalla in the Immigrant Song. The verses are believed to refer to a Viking Invasion. The Swedish Viking Metal band
Bathory composed a song in honor of Valhalla with the same name, it appear in the 1990s album
Hammerheart.
An episode in the fifth season of the TV series
Oz called "Next Stop: Valhalla" deals with themes of
Norse Mythology.