In Norse mythology, a great hall built by Odin to house warriors who die bravely in battle. Every night they get drunk, and every day fight to the death and rise again. After this intensive training they will form an army to help the gods in the Last Battle.
Valhalla (Old Norse Valhöll, "Hall of the slain") is Odin's hall in Norse mythology, located in Gladsheim and is the home for those slain gloriously in battle (known as Einherjar) who are welcomed by Bragi and escorted to Valhalla by the valkyries. Here, every day, the slain warriors who will assist Odin in Ragnarök, the gods' final conflict with the giants, arm themselves for battle and ride forth by the thousands to engage in mock combat on the plains of Asgard. Those who do not get to Valhalla end up in the home of the dead (Hel), a place beneath the underworld (Niflheim), or one of various other places.
In addition to the valkyries and the Einherjar, a rooster named Gullinkambi lives there.
In Beowulf, it is called the shining citadel.
Modern Etymology
The English word 'hell' comes from the Teutonic 'Hel', which originally meant 'to cover' and later referred to the goddess of the Norse underworld, Hel.
Valhalla is a 19th century English mistranslation of the singular Valhöll into a genitival plural form. A more literally-correct English translation is Val-hall, but Valhalla is by far the more common form in general use.
Popular Culture
References to Valhalla appear irregularly in modern popular culture.
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