Heimdall
Heimdall is the watchman god of Norse mythology, guardian of the rainbow bridge Bifröst that links Asgard to Midgard. Endowed with superhuman senses and the need for very little sleep, he is fated to sound the horn Gjallarhorn to announce the start of Ragnarök.
Last reviewed: 2026-07-21
Historical fact
Heimdall is documented in the Prose Edda and the Poetic Edda as the guardian of the Bifröst bridge, stationed at the edge of Asgard to watch for the approach of the giants. According to Gylfaginning, he needs less sleep than a bird, can see for hundreds of leagues by day or night, and can hear grass growing and wool growing on sheep. In the poem Völuspá, from the Poetic Edda, it is prophesied that Heimdall will sound the horn Gjallarhorn to warn the gods of the start of Ragnarök, and that he and Loki will kill each other in the final battle. The poem Rígsþula, also from the Poetic Edda, credits Heimdall (under the name Rígr) with the mythic origin of the human social classes.
Interpretation — Eddic Sources (Snorri Sturluson)
In the Eddic sources, Heimdall is defined essentially by his function as sentinel: a god whose attributes — sight, hearing, and constant wakefulness — exist in service of his task of guarding the border between Asgard and the rest of the nine worlds. His origin is unusual even by Norse standards: Gylfaginning and the poem Hyndluljóð describe him as the son of nine mothers (often identified as waves of the sea), reinforcing his character as a figure apart within the pantheon.
Interpretation — Reconstructed Norse Folk Religion (Ásatrú)
In contemporary Ásatrú practice, Heimdall is usually honored as patron of vigilance, border protection, and a sense of duty, a model associated with constant responsibility and unwavering loyalty even in the face of a solitary task — a reading that projects his mythic role as tireless guardian of Bifröst directly onto values of personal conduct in the present.
This section presents one tradition's interpretation, not a verifiable fact.
Frequently asked questions
- What is Heimdall's role in Norse mythology?
- According to Gylfaginning, Heimdall is the guardian of the Bifröst bridge, stationed at the border of Asgard to watch for the approach of the giants, endowed with superhuman sight and hearing and the need for very little sleep.
- What happens to Heimdall at Ragnarök?
- According to the poem Völuspá, from the Poetic Edda, Heimdall will sound the horn Gjallarhorn to announce the start of Ragnarök, and in the final battle he and Loki will face each other and kill each other.
Sources
- Snorri Sturluson (trans. Anthony Faulkes). The Prose Edda (c. 1220 (1987 ed.)).
- Anonymous (trans. Carolyne Larrington). The Poetic Edda (13th c. manuscript (2014 ed.)).
- H. R. Ellis Davidson. Gods and Myths of Northern Europe (1964).