In
Norse Mythology, Niflheim is the land of
mists,
ice, and
shadows, is the lowest of the nine worlds, and is the location of
Helheim. It is the place where people who die of
old age and
diseases or are
evil go after
death and is
impregnable. Ruled by
Hel, the
goddess of death, it is surrounded by high walls and strong gates and not even
Balder could return from there without Hel's permission.
Garm guards the gates and prevents the dead from leaving and the
living from
entering. It is connected to
Helheim and
Nastrond, the
shore of corpses.
In the beginning, the universe was composed of two parts:
Muspelheim and Niflheim. In between the two parts of the
cosmos was the void
Ginnungagap. The fires of Muspelheim melted the ice of Niflheim and a sea formed in the void, from which
Ymir sprung.
The first root of
Yggdrasil formed in Niflheim and the
spring of
Hvergelmir bubbled forth and became the source of the primitive
rivers.
At
Ragnarok, the layers of the
world will come crashing down when Yggdrasil falls and Garm will flee in terror. After Ragnarok, a hall will be built here for the punishment of philanderers, oath breakers, and
murderers.
Sources:
http://www.pantheon.org/articles/n/niflheim.html
http://ancienthistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa083199.htm
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norse_mythology
http://www.rebecca.sutton.care4free.net/norsori.html