Asgard - Home Of The Aesir 4th Part

The previous post was all about Valhalla, I decided to write it that way to concentrate the knowledge about Valhalla in a single post and not mixing it with other places of Asgard. In this post lets continue with the other places of Asgard. This post will be about Gladsheim and Valaskjalf.

In the center of Asgard lies the plain of Idavoll and in it lies the great hall of Gladsheim which is also the name of the the fields where this Hall stands. Gladsheimr is the Hall of Joy, a sanctuary in Asgard. From the distance it seems that its roof is made of gold, even near it it appears its roof is thatched with gold. At the end of this Hall there is a great tower covered in silver which is called Valaskjalf.
Idavoll is a great plain covered in tall grass and the strong winds that blow the grass make it seem like a ocean rising in anger, and also resembles the coiling of serpents.

In the myths we often hear about the roof of the halls of important gods, to be made out of gold. In the case of Gladsheim it is actually made out of a grass-thatch with a golden color that grows in the outskirts of the plain. Because the plain is vast and filled with grass, there are herds of goats grazing everywhere. There is a famous goat in here called Heidrun. There is also a reindeer caled Eikthrynir. These are the same names of the goat and Deer in Valhalla, so these are probably the same animals because Valhalla can be seen from Gladsheim, in fact, like Gladsheim (the hall) Valhalla also lies in the plain of Gladsheim, so the two halls are close to each other.
Gladsheim (the hall) is where all the deities of Asgard gather and feast, this is the hall of meetings. This is the hall that Odin welcomes visitors, where guests stay before they venture further.

This hall is also an assembly, there is a great throne that belongs to Odin and other thrones down the main room, each belonging to on of the deities who has the right to speak in the Council of Asgard. The gods with most influence apart from Odin, are, Ullr, Bragi, Tyr, Thor, Frey, Njörd, Heimdal, Frigga, Freyja, Sif, Skadi and Iduna.

The hall of Gladsheim has an enormous horse called Falhofnir and belongs to Odin. In the roof the rooster called Gullinkambi is always wandering around. 
Geri and Freki, the famous wolves of Odin can be seen here in the chamber of the council and this is probably their home.
Huginn and Muninn, Odin's ravens can also be seen sometimes in the hall but not as often as the wolves.

The great tower of Valaskjalf sometimes is considered to be a separete hall, however, it is part of Gladsheim, it is like its turret, but huge as it is, it really seems like a different hall. The difference between Valaskjalf and Gladsheim, is that the tower os used by Odin alone, no other deity goes in. This is Odin's watchtower, no one ever goes in unless he wants them to.

Valaskjalf is made out of white stone. In the top of the tower lies Hlidskjalf, the great throne of Odin which he uses to watch far into the other realms.

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