Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Yggdrasill
Table of Contents
Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics
Images
the world tree, Yggdrasill
Quizzes
Vali (or Ali), in Norse mythology, a son of the principal god, Odin, and a giantess named Rinda.
More Norse Mythology Quiz
Related Questions
Read Next
Plant seedlings emerging from rich fertile soil
Do Plants Feel Pain?
Majestic sequoias in Sequoia National Park. (trees; sunlight; forest; conifers; sequoia tree)
Saving the World’s Largest Trees
Ghost forest along the Lewis Gut - a stream along the coast near Core Point, North Carolina. Photographed in 2022
Ghost Forests Are Becoming the New Haunts of Climate Change
European beech trees (Fagus sylvatica) in autumn. Note: Oak tree far left. Fall colors
Why Do Leaves Fall in Autumn?
Shooting star (Dodecatheon pauciflorum).
Botanical Sex: 9 Alluring Adaptations
Discover
The Battle of Gettysburg, July 1-3, 1863. (Civil War, Pennsylvania)
9 Worst Generals in History
Saint Lucia Day. Young girl wears Lucia crown (tinsel halo) with candles. Holds Saint Lucia Day currant laced saffron buns (lussekatter or Lucia's cats). Observed December 13 honor virgin martyr Santa Lucia (St. Lucy). Luciadagen, Christmas, Sweden
7 Winter Solstice Celebrations From Around the World
Indian hijras participate in a religious procession in Gandhinagar, India, some 30 kilometers from Ahmedabad, on March 22, 2017. Hijra is a term used in South Asia which refers to transgender individuals who are born male. (gender identity, gender expression)
6 Cultures That Recognize More than Two Genders
Nativity Scene, Adoration of the Magi, Church of the Birth of the Virgin Mary, Montenegro
Why Is Christmas in December?
Orange basketball on black background and with low key lighting. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society
The 10 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time
Srinivasa Ramanujan, Indian mathematician and autodidact.
6 Interesting Facts about Srinivasa Ramanujan
Panama Canal infographic
Timeline and Map of the Panama Canal
the world tree, Yggdrasill
the world tree, Yggdrasill Norse god Odin (left) approaching the god Mimir's well beneath the world tree, Yggdrasill.

Yggdrasill

Norse mythology
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://mainten.top/topic/Yggdrasill
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Britannica Websites
Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
Also known as: Mimameidr
Written and fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Article History
Old Norse:
Mimameidr
See all related content

Yggdrasill, in Norse mythology, the world tree, a giant ash supporting the universe. It is closely related to the tree of life, a motif found across many cultures, and the tree of knowledge, which was said to grow in the Garden of Eden in Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). 

In Norse mythology, Yggdrasill is an enormous ash tree that connects the nine worlds, including the underworld (Niflheim), the earth (Midgard), and the realm of the gods (Asgard). Yggdrasill is associated with both life and death: it acts as a gallows that the god Odin hangs himself from in order to gain mystical knowledge, and it is said to be the source of new life after Ragnarök (Doomsday), the catastrophic final war of the gods.

This article was most recently revised and updated by John M. Cunningham.