ASGARD (from As, god, and gard, home or hall), the home of the Aesir, q.v., the Olympus of northern mythology. The city of Asgard is fabled to have been built on the highest part and in the middle of Ida’s plain, which is the very centre of the universe. Here the Aesir erected a court for themselves with seats for twelve, and one high seat for Odin, the All-father, also a lofty abode for the goddesses, called Vingolf. They worked diligently, played at games, were rich in gold and all precious things, and happy, till three maidens from Jotunheim, the giants’ world, crossed Ida’s plain, and entered Asaheim, when corruption spread amongst its inmates. Asgard had many mansions, the largest and noblest of which was Gladsheim; whilst another, not so spacious, but the fairest of all, and brighter than the sun, was called Gimli. This will stand when both heaven and earth have passed away, and will be the habitation of all good and upright men through eternity. When the Aesir created men, and placed them in Midgard, they connected the latter with Asgard by a bridge, Bifrösh, known to mortals as the rainbow, which also leads to the sacred fountain of Urd, by the ash Yggdrasil, where the gods of Asgard take council together. For the other parts of Asgard, which are closely interwoven with the history of the creation of the world and of mankind, as taught in the Odinic faith, the reader is referred to Mythology, in which the subject is treated more at length. The historical explanation of Asgard, as given by the early northern authorities, is that, in the country called Asaheim to the east of Tanagvise (the Tanais or Don) in Asia, there was a city, Asgard, in which ruled a great chief, known as Odin or Woden, who presided over the religious sacrifices which were held there. ...