Greek
Mount Olympus
The highest mountain in Greece, on the border of Thessaly and Macedonia, which Homer and Hesiod made the home of Zeus and the Olympian gods, a peak above the clouds where the gods feast and hold council.
Sacred Geography
Locations
Temples, realms and sacred sites, on the map and by tradition, type or era.
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Greek
The Underworld
The realm of the dead beneath the earth, ruled by Hades and Persephone, which Greek poets filled over time with rivers, gates, judges, and the dog Cerberus; the Odyssey's Book 11 is its earliest great portrait.
Greek
Delphi
The site of the oracle of Apollo, considered the center of the world (omphalos) by the ancient Greeks.
Mythic realm
Greek
Tartarus
The deepest abyss of the underworld, a dungeon of torment where the Titans were imprisoned and the wicked punished for eternity.
Mythic realm
Greek
Elysian Fields
A paradise at the end of the earth where heroes and the virtuous were sent after death to live in eternal bliss.
Greek
River Styx
The principal river of the underworld, upon which even the gods swore binding oaths. Charon ferried the dead across its dark waters.
Greek
Olympia
The sanctuary of Zeus and site of the ancient Olympic Games, featuring a colossal statue of Zeus—one of the Seven Wonders.
Greek
Thebes
A powerful city-state and setting of many tragic myths including Oedipus, the Seven Against Thebes, and Dionysus's revenge.
Greek
Colchis
The distant kingdom at the edge of the known world where the Golden Fleece was kept, guarded by an ever-watchful dragon.
Greek
Crete
The great island kingdom of King Minos, home to the Labyrinth where the Minotaur dwelt, and birthplace of Zeus.
Greek
Ithaca
The island kingdom of Odysseus, whose twenty-year journey home from Troy is told in Homer's Odyssey.
Greek
Sparta
The powerful warrior city-state, home of Helen whose abduction sparked the Trojan War, and Menelaus her husband.
Greek
Troy
The legendary walled city besieged for ten years by the Greeks, eventually fallen to the cunning of the wooden horse.
Greek
Delos
The sacred island birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, where their mother Leto finally found refuge to give birth.
Greek
Lemnos
The volcanic island where Hephaestus landed after being cast from Olympus, and where he established his forge.
Greek
Naxos
The island where Theseus abandoned Ariadne, only for Dionysus to find and marry her, making it sacred to the wine god.
Greek
Cape Sounion
A dramatic clifftop promontory crowned by the Temple of Poseidon, where Aegeus leapt to his death upon seeing black sails.
Mythic realm
Norse
Asgard
One of the Nine Worlds and home to the Aesir tribe of gods, connected to Midgard by the rainbow bridge Bifrost.
Mythic realm
Norse
Midgard
The realm of humanity (Earth), encircled by the world serpent Jormungandr and connected to Asgard by the Bifrost bridge.
Mythic realm
Norse
Niflheim
The primordial realm of ice, mist, and cold. Its frozen rivers combined with Muspelheim's fire to create the first life.
Mythic realm
Norse
Muspelheim
The primordial realm of fire, ruled by the fire giant Surtr, whose flames will consume the world at Ragnarok.
Mythic realm
Norse
Jotunheim
The land of the frost giants and other jotnar, a harsh wilderness of mountains and forests bordering Asgard.
Mythic realm
Norse
Vanaheim
Home of the Vanir gods associated with fertility, wisdom, and nature—including Freya, Freyr, and Njord.
Mythic realm
Norse
Svartalfheim
The underground realm of the dwarves (dark elves), master craftsmen who forged Mjolnir, Gungnir, and other legendary items.
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