Misplaced Pages

#675324

105-640: The Walhalla memorial is named for the Valhǫll of Norse Paganism . It was conceived in 1807 by Crown Prince Ludwig I of Bavaria in order to support the gathering momentum for the unification of the many German states into the German Empire . Following his accession to the throne of Bavaria, construction took place between 1830 and 1842 under the supervision of the architect Leo von Klenze . The memorial displays some 65 plaques and 130 busts covering 2,000 years of history, beginning with Arminius , victor at

210-643: A Bruckner bust, 131,520 were counted. The Walhalla memorial was reached by the Allied invasion of Germany in April 1945, by the US Third Army led by General George S. Patton . Additions since 1945 are proposed by private individuals or private foundations, who will also pay for the production of the new bust. Suggestions are reviewed by the Bavarian Academy of Sciences, based on which a recommendation

315-541: A Cologne Mark of fine silver, or 25.984 g. It was widely adopted and produced for the next 300 years at rates varying from 9 to 9 1 ⁄ 4 Reichsthalers to the Mark . See the chronology of thaler development for the development of the Reichsthaler and related currency units from 1566 to 1875. Confusingly, there also was defined a North German thaler currency (also called Reichsthalers ) of less value to

420-499: A boar), and this beast is cooked every day and is again whole every night. Grímnismál stanza 18 is recounted. Gangleri asks if Odin eats the same food as the Einherjar, and High responds Odin needs nothing to eat—Odin only consumes wine—and he gives his food to his wolves Geri and Freki . Grímnismál stanza 19 is recounted. High additionally states, at sunrise, Odin sends his ravens Huginn and Muninn from Valhalla to fly throughout

525-818: A bullion entrepôt of the period, the Netherlands produced reichsthalers for Germany and Scandinavia, and exported leeuwendaalders to the Levant and the Ottoman Empire . The latter survives to this day in the form of the Bulgarian lev , Romanian leu , and Moldovan leu . Lion Daalders were used a lot in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and in what's now known as the USA. The city of New Amsterdam, currently New York,

630-668: A character named Bloodhound, who often references Valhalla and the Allfather, a commonly used kenning for the Norse god Odin. Valhalla is also referenced in the manga 'Heart Gear' by Tsuyoshi Takaki as a battle ground where the 'combat' gears take turns in fighting each other to the death as their leader, Odin, observes. Elton John 's first album, Empty Sky (1969), contains a song called "Valhalla". Led Zeppelin 's " Immigrant Song " from their third album, Led Zeppelin III (1970), contains

735-469: A day, it fills a massive vat large enough for all of the Einherjar in Valhalla to satisfy their thirst from it. High further states the stag Eikþyrnir stands atop Valhalla and chews on the branches of Læraðr. So much moisture drips from his horns, it falls down to the well Hvelgelmir, resulting in numerous rivers. In chapter 40, Gangleri muses Valhalla must be quite crowded, to which High responds Valhalla

840-637: A distortion of the name Joachim. The new large silver coins that became ubiquitous as the 16th century went on were named Thaler in German, while in England and France, they were named crown and écu , respectively, both names taken from what had originally been gold coins . The thaler size silver coins minted in Habsburg Spain was the eight real coin , later also known as peso and in English as

945-410: A dream is it," said Óðinn, in which just before daybreak, I thought I cleared Valhǫll, for coming of slain men? I waked the Einherjar, bade valkyries rise up, to strew the bench, and scour the beakers, wine to carry, as for a king's coming, here to me I expect heroes' coming from the world, certain great ones, so glad is my heart. The god Bragi asks where a thundering sound

1050-591: A hall. Valhalla is referenced at length in the Poetic Edda poem Grímnismál , and Helgakviða Hundingsbana II , while Valhalla receives lesser direct references in stanza 32 of the Völuspá , where the god Baldr 's death is referred to as the "woe of Valhalla", and in stanzas 1 to 3 of Hyndluljóð , where the goddess Freyja states her intention of riding to Valhalla with Hyndla , in an effort to help Óttar , as well as in stanzas 6 through 7, where Valhalla

1155-401: A host of men. An unnamed maid of Sigrún, Helgi's valkyrie wife, sees Helgi and his large host of men riding into the mound. The maid asks if she is experiencing a delusion, if Ragnarök is started, or if Helgi and his men were allowed to return. In the following stanzas, Helgi responds none of these things occurred, and so Sigrún's maid goes home to Sigrún. The maid tells Sigrún the burial mound

SECTION 10

#1732773038676

1260-549: A plaque was added to commemorate the German Resistance against Nazi Germany . Plaque numbers 1–32 represent the upper row, 33–64 the lower row. Each plaque includes a short characterization of the individual, with the year of death given in Roman numerals. The year of death in the table below is that given on the plaque, even where modern historiography suggests a revised date. The 65th plaque, dedicated to

1365-730: A plaque with their names tells of their transfer to Walhalla. King Ludwig I himself, who commissioned the Liberation Hall and other monuments, was also enshrined both at Walhalla and in the Ruhmeshalle. Helmuth von Moltke the Elder was the last addition of a military leader (in 1910). After World War I, new additions focussed on artists and intellectuals. Beginning in 1933, when Kraft durch Freude and other National Socialist organizations promoted trips to Walhalla , visitor numbers increased exponentially. In 1937, when Hitler unveiled

1470-466: A point that silver content in Groschen -type coins had dropped, in some cases, to less than five percent, making the coins of much less individual value than they had in the beginning. This trend was inverted with the discovery of new and substantial silver deposits in Europe beginning in about the 1470s. Italy began the first tentative steps toward a large silver coinage with the introduction in 1472 of

1575-405: A proper noun employed for both the name of another afterlife location and a supernatural female entity as its overseer, as well as the modern English noun hell . In Swedish folklore, some mountains traditionally regarded as abodes of the dead were also called Valhall . According to many researchers , the hǫll element derives from hallr , "rock", and referred to an underworld, not

1680-405: A prose narrative states that after the death of her husband Eric Bloodaxe , Gunnhild Mother of Kings had a poem composed about him. The composition is by an anonymous author from the 10th century and is referred to as Eiríksmál , and describes Eric Bloodaxe and five other kings arriving in Valhalla after their death. The poem begins with comments by Odin (as Old Norse Óðinn ): "What kind of

1785-475: A song called "Valhalla". Jethro Tull 's album, Minstrel in the Gallery (1975), contains a song called "Cold Wind to Valhalla". Blind Guardian also has a song titled, "Valhalla" Thaler A thaler or taler ( / ˈ t ɑː l ər / TAH -lər ; German : Taler [ˈtaːlɐ] , previously spelled Thaler ) is one of the large silver coins minted in the states and territories of

1890-542: A weight of 6 grams. Even these coins were increasingly debased due to the Great Bullion Famine of the 15th century which occurred for several reasons including continued warfare and the centuries-long loss of silver and gold in indirect one-sided trades importing spices , porcelain , silk and other fine cloths and exotic goods from India, Indonesia and the Far East. This continual debasement had reached

1995-507: A wolf hangs in front of its west doors, and an eagle hovers above it. From stanzas 22 to 24, more details are given by Odin about Valhalla: the holy doors of the ancient gate Valgrind stand before Valhalla, Valhalla has five hundred and forty doors so eight hundred men can pass through simultaneously (from which the einherjar will flow forth to engage the wolf Fenrir at Ragnarök ). Within Valhalla exists Thor 's hall Bilskirnir , and within it exist five hundred and forty rooms, and of all

2100-613: Is coming from, and says that the benches of Valhalla are creaking—as if the god Baldr had returned to Valhalla—and that it sounds like the movement of a thousand. Odin responds that Bragi knows well that the sounds are for Eric Bloodaxe, who will soon arrive in Valhalla. Odin tells the heroes Sigmund and Sinfjötli to rise to greet Eric and invite him into the hall, if it is indeed he. Sigmund asks Odin why he would expect Eric more than any other king, to which Odin responds that Eric has reddened his gore-drenched sword with many other lands. Eric arrives, and Sigmund greets him, tells him that he

2205-647: Is made by the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior . The final decision lies with the Bavarian Council of Ministers. Official practice since 1945 has been to favour "eminent figures from science or art, or individuals with extraordinary social or caritative merit". Nineteen busts have been added between 1945 and 2022, for an average interval of a little below four years between additions: The original busts are arranged in rows by date of death At

SECTION 20

#1732773038676

2310-557: Is massive and remains roomy despite the large amount of inhabitants, and then quotes Grímnismál stanza 23. In chapter 41, Gangleri says Odin seems to be quite a powerful lord, controlling quite a big army, but he wonders how the Einherjar keep busy while they are not drinking. High replies daily, after they dressed and put on their war gear, they go out to the courtyard and battle one-on-one combat for sport. Then, before mealtime, they ride home to Valhalla and drink. High quotes Vafþrúðnismál stanza 41. In chapter 42, High describes "right at

2415-461: Is mentioned again during a dispute between the two. In stanzas 8 to 10 of Grímnismál , the god Odin (in the guise of Grímnir ) proclaims Valhalla is in the realm of Glaðsheimr . Odin describes Valhalla as shining and golden, and it "rises peacefully" as seen from afar. From Valhalla, every day Odin chooses from those killed in combat. Valhalla has spear -shafts for rafters, a roof thatched with shields, coats of mail are strewn over its benches,

2520-399: Is opened, and Sigrún should go to Helgi there. Helgi asked her to come and tend his wounds after they opened and are bleeding. Sigrún goes into the mound, and finds Helgi is drenched in gore, his hair is thick with frost. Filled with joy at the re-union, Sigrún kisses him before he can remove his coat of mail, and asks how she can heal him. Sigrún makes a bed there, and the two sleep together in

2625-653: Is synonymous with a martial (or otherwise) hall of the chosen dead. The name is rendered in modern Scandinavian languages as Valhöll in Icelandic, while the Swedish and Norwegian form is Valhall ; in Faroese it is Valhøll , and in Danish it is Valhal . The Modern English noun Valhalla derives from Old Norse Valhǫll , a compound noun composed of two elements: the masculine noun valr 'the slain' and

2730-576: Is very like Valhalla—a place that a lot of people have heard of, and that very few can tell you anything about" ( Proud Highway: Saga of a Desperate Southern Gentleman, chapter 20). In the 2015 film Mad Max: Fury Road , the cult of the War Boys believe a heroic death in the service of dictator Immortan Joe will take them to Valhalla. A video game Assassin's Creed Valhalla was released in November 2020. The video game Apex Legends features

2835-497: Is welcome to come into the hall, and asks him what other lords he has brought with him to Valhalla. Eric says that with him are five kings, that he will tell them the name of them all, and that he, himself, is the sixth. The concept of Valhalla continues to influence modern popular culture. Examples include the Walhalla temple built by Leo von Klenze for Ludwig I of Bavaria between 1830 and 1847 near Regensburg , Germany , and

2940-717: The Swedish riksdaler (1604) and the Danish rigsdaler (1625). In the early 19th century, these countries introduced their modern currency based on the daler unit. In Norway, speciedaler was chosen as the currency name in 1816. These currencies in Denmark and Sweden were replaced by the Danish krone and Swedish krona in 1873, the new currencies introduced by the Scandinavian Monetary Union . Norway joined

3045-671: The leeuwendaalder . From 1754, many German states used the Conventionsthaler as well as a lower-valued North German thaler or Reichsthaler worth 3 ⁄ 4 the Conventionsthaler. From 1840 the various North German thalers converged to the value of the Prussian thaler and afterwards the Vereinsthaler . The corresponding English silver coin of the period was the crown . The Low German word

3150-464: The 1902 spelling reform . The name taler , thaler was soon used in compounds denoting various types of silver coins of thaler size, thus Reichstaler (1566), Silbertaler , Albertustaler (1612), Laubthaler (1726), Kronenthaler (1755), Ortsthaler , Schützentaler , Bankthaler , Speciethaler , etc. Units used in the Netherlands include the daalder , the rijksdaalder and

3255-566: The Widerstand (Resistance) against Nazi Germany, added in 2003, is not part of the two rows of 64 numbered plaques. 49°01′53.35″N 12°13′26.72″E  /  49.0314861°N 12.2240889°E  / 49.0314861; 12.2240889 Valhalla In Norse mythology , Valhalla ( / v æ l ˈ h æ l ə / val- HAL -ə , US also / v ɑː l ˈ h ɑː l ə / vahl- HAH -lə ; Old Norse : Valhǫll [ˈwɑlhɒlː] , lit.   ' Hall of

Walhalla (memorial) - Misplaced Pages Continue

3360-565: The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in the year 9 AD. The entire system including the substructure is 125 meters long and 55 meters high, the shape of complex is a Greek temple in the style of a Doric Peripteros. The roof is supported by an iron structure that was ultra-modern for the time. The length of the classicist temple building is 66.7 meters, the width is 31.6 meters, and the height is 20 meters. The fully sculptural gable field on

3465-484: The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest of 9 AD. According to Pictorial Travels Continentally Described (circa 1892), the construction of the building cost £666,666. A two thaler coin was minted commemorating the opening of the Walhalla, Krause catalog number KM# 811. It is moderately scarce. At Walhalla's inauguration on October 18, 1842, there were 96 busts, plus 64 plaques for persons or events of which no portrait

3570-620: The Bohemian lion . Similar coins began to be minted in neighbouring valleys rich in silver deposits, each named after the particular 'thal' or valley from which the silver was extracted. There were soon so many of them that these silver coins began to be known more widely as 'thaler' in German and 'tolar' in Czech. In the 17th century, some Joachimsthalers were in circulation in the Tsardom of Russia , where they were called yefimok ( ефимок ) –

3675-680: The French franc was established, with the 5-franc coin of 25.0 g, 90% fine silver being closest in size to the thalers used elsewhere. The French franc system would be expanded to other countries in the advent of the Latin Monetary Union of 1865. The Thirteen Cantons of the Old Swiss Confederacy and their Associates each minted their own coins, with most larger silver coins conforming to established German or French standards. Thaler and half thaler coins were minted by

3780-660: The Holy Roman Empire and the Habsburg monarchy during the Early Modern period . A thaler size silver coin has a diameter of about 40 mm ( 1 + 1 ⁄ 2  in) and a weight of about 25 to 30 grams (roughly 1 ounce ). The word is shortened from Joachimsthaler , the original thaler coin minted in Joachimsthal , Bohemia , from 1520. While the first standard coin of the Holy Roman Empire

3885-658: The Holy Roman Empire . Whereas the Valhalla of Norse mythology served as home to those gloriously slain in battle, Ludwig intended his Walhalla not only for warriors but also for scientists, writers, and clerics, and specifically included both men and women. Decades before the foundation of the modern German state in 1871 or the clear formation of a modern German identity , "German" was initially understood as " Germanic " and included all ancient Germanic peoples as well as medieval Dutch , Swedish , Russian , and modern Austrian and Swiss figures. Leo von Klenze's plans reveal

3990-709: The Jagiellonian dynasty , a guldiner was minted — of similar physical size but slightly less fineness —that was named in German the Joachimsthaler , from the silver mined by the Counts of Schlick at a rich source near Joachimsthal (today Jáchymov in the Czech Republic ) where Thal (Tal) means "valley" in German. Saint Joachim , the father of the Virgin Mary , was portrayed on the coin along with

4095-685: The Munich , Germany-based Germanic Neopagan magazine Walhalla (1905–1913), the book series Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard by Rick Riordan, the comic series Valhalla (1978–2009) by Peter Madsen, and its subsequent animated film of the same name (1986). Valhalla also gives its name to a thrill ride at Blackpool Pleasure Beach , UK. Before Hunter S. Thompson became the counter-culture's Gonzo journalist , he lived in Big Sur , California, while writing his novel The Rum Diary . He wrote "Big Sur

4200-541: The Renaissance than were other artists, began creating intricate and elaborate designs featuring the heraldic arms and standards of the minting state as well as brutally realistic, sometimes unflattering, depictions of the ruler (monarch). By 1518, guldiners of similar weight to guldengroschen were popping up everywhere in central Europe. In the Kingdom of Bohemia , then ruled together with Hungary by Louis II of

4305-617: The Tresco Abbey Gardens Valhalla museum built by August Smith around 1830 to house ship figureheads from shipwrecks that occurred at the Isles of Scilly , England , near the museum. References to Valhalla appear in literature, art, and other forms of media. Examples include K. Ehrenberg's charcoal illustration Gastmahl in Walhalla (mit einziehenden Einheriern) (1880), Richard Wagner 's depiction of Valhalla in his opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen (1848–1874),

Walhalla (memorial) - Misplaced Pages Continue

4410-460: The Venetian lira tron in excess of 6 grams, a substantial increase over the 4-gram gros tournois of France. However, it was only in 1484 that Archduke Sigismund of Tirol issued the first truly revolutionary silver coin, the half Guldengroschen of roughly 15 g. This was a very rare coin, almost a trial piece, but it did circulate so successfully that demand could not be met. Finally, with

4515-711: The Vereinsthaler . The Maria Theresa taler became the de facto currency of the Ethiopian Empire in the late 18th century, with the Ethiopian birr introduced at par with this taler, and it continued to be in use into the 20th century in the Horn of Africa , Eastern Africa , India and throughout much of the Arabian Peninsula . Though various silver thaler coins were minted in most of Europe until

4620-759: The jötnar . Valhalla is attested in the Poetic Edda , compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, in the Prose Edda (written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson ), in Heimskringla (also written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson), and in stanzas of an anonymous 10th-century poem commemorating the death of Eric Bloodaxe known as Eiríksmál as compiled in Fagrskinna . Valhalla has inspired innumerable works of art, publication titles, and elements of popular culture and

4725-545: The " Spanish dollar ". The first large silver coin standardized by the Holy Roman Empire was the Guldengroschen in 1524. Under the new Imperial Minting Standard ( Reichsmünzfuß ) it weighed 1 ⁄ 8 th a Cologne Mark of silver or 29.232 g, and had a fineness 0.9375. However, its longest-lasting standard coin was the Reichsthaler ("imperial thaler") defined in 1566 as containing 1 ⁄ 9 th

4830-418: The "historical" Odin is described as ordaining burial laws over his country. These laws include that all the dead are to be burned on a pyre on a burial mound with their possessions, and their ashes are to be brought out to sea or buried in the earth. The dead would then arrive in Valhalla with everything that one had on their pyre, and whatever one had hidden in the ground. Valhalla is additionally referenced in

4935-594: The 1530s enabled the massive minting of Spain's eight-real coin well into the 20th century, weighing 27.47 g, 0.9306 fine. Being of nearly identical weight to the German reichsthaler, British colonists in North America eventually called the Spanish coin the dollar, which became the model for the U.S. dollar and the Canadian dollar . The rise of German and Spanish dollars in 16th century European trade lessened

5040-500: The 1870s, these coins were more often counted in non-thaler currency units like Dutch or Austrian guilders, French francs, Spanish reales, etc. By the mid-19th century the thaler (or reichsthaler, rigsdaler) was still the currency unit used in the North German Confederation and Scandinavia . By 1875 the thaler itself disappeared as currency unit in Europe upon adoption of the gold standard . Nonetheless, use of

5145-629: The 20th century in the form of the Mexican peso until 1914, the five Swiss franc coin until 1928, the US silver dollar until 1935, and the Austrian Maria Theresa thaler . These days thaler-sized silver coins are not in active circulation anymore, but are minted by various government mints as bullion or numismatic items for collectors. The current derivative of the name, dollar ( first Spanish and now mostly English), also survives as

5250-455: The Cross of Burgundy) in 1567, and then the leeuwendaalder (the "lion thaler", depicting the Belgic Lion) in 1575, the latter of weight 27.68 g (427.2 grains) and 0.743 fineness. With the growing popularity of the German reichsthaler , however, the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands had to follow up with their own Dutch rijksdaalder in 1583, of weight 29.03 g (448 grains) and 0.885 fineness, and featuring an armored half bust of William

5355-479: The Einheriar, bade them get up to strew the benches, clean the beer-cups, the valkyries to serve wine for the arrival of a prince. In chapter 17 of Skáldskaparmál , the jötunn Hrungnir is in a rage and, while attempting to catch up and attack Odin on his steed Sleipnir , ends up at the doors to Valhalla. There, the Æsir invite him in for a drink. Hrungnir goes in, demands a drink, and becomes drunk and belligerent, stating that he will remove Valhalla and take it to

SECTION 50

#1732773038676

5460-505: The French écu or laubthaler of 26.7 g fine silver as its most widely used thaler, valued at 4 livres (francs) or 40 batzen of Bern. In 1798 this system was adopted by the Helvetic Confederation with the first Swiss franc equal to 1 ⁄ 4 th an écu. Eventual transition to this first new Swiss franc stalled in the 19th century while public preference shifted to the South German Kronenthaler of 25.71 g fine silver, valued at 3.9 francs or 39 batzen. In 1850 Switzerland established

5565-426: The Latin Monetary Union (among them France, Belgium, Switzerland), and the Greek 5-drachma coin (τάληρο, taliro). Thaler-sized coins minted to late-19th century standards would be minted until 1914 in Mexico and in most of Europe, until 1928 in Switzerland, and until 1934 in the United States. Henceforth thaler-sized silver coins would be minted as bullion or numismatic pieces, among them: Unrelated to specific coins,

5670-401: The Monetary Union and introduced the Norwegian krone in 1876. At the beginning of the 19th century the South German states valued the Conventionsthaler at 2.4 South German gulden , or 9.744 grams fine silver per gulden. Afterwards, however, they began to mint the Kronenthaler valued at 2.7 gulden - hence a reduced fine silver content for the gulden at 9.52 g. In 1837, the Prussian thaler

5775-485: The Rhine , which sided with Napoleon. Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor , then formally dissolved the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation (6 August 1806) and instead styled himself Emperor of Austria . The War of the Fourth Coalition (1806–1807) pitted German forces on both sides against each other, and Napoleon again prevailed. In 1807, 20-year-old Crown Prince Ludwig of the Kingdom of Bavaria (newly elevated from Electorate to Kingdom by Napoleon in 1806), had

5880-427: The Silent . Friesland , Gelderland , Holland , Kampen , Overijssel , Utrecht , West Friesland , Zeeland , and Zwolle minted armored half bust rijksdaalders until the end of the 17th century. The pace of depreciation of the small-denomination stuiver quickened from the 1570s, with the leeuwendaalder rising from 32 to 40 stuivers by 1619, and the rijksdaalder from 42 to 50 stuivers. The Amsterdam Wisselbank

5985-467: The Slain ' ) is described as a majestic hall located in Asgard and presided over by the god Odin . Half of those who die in combat enter Valhalla, while the other half are chosen by the goddess Freyja to reside in Fólkvangr . The masses of those killed in combat (known as the Einherjar ), along with various legendary Germanic heroes and kings, live in Valhalla until Ragnarök , when they will march out of its many doors to fight in aid of Odin against

6090-508: The beginning, while the gods were settling", they established Asgard, then built Valhalla. The death of the god Baldr is recounted in chapter 49, with the mistletoe used to kill Baldr is described as growing west of Valhalla. At the beginning of Skáldskaparmál , a partially euhemerized account is given of Ægir visiting the gods in Asgard and shimmering swords are brought out and used as their sole source of light as they drink. There, numerous gods feast, they have plenty of strong mead , and

6195-454: The cities of Zürich (1512), Bern , Lucerne, Zug, Basel, Fribourg, Solothurn , Schaffhausen, St. Gallen and Geneva . The Reformed cities began to represent "city views" on the obverse of their thalers, as they did not have the option to represent either patron saint or ruling princes. The first city view thaler of Zürich was minted in 1651 (the so-called Vögelitaler ). By the 18th century, Bern and many Western Swiss cantons adopted

6300-468: The deaths of the subjects. The Hall of Expectations was abandoned owing to changes in criteria for induction into Walhalla. The first addition to the collection was the bust of Martin Luther . Ludwig, a devout Catholic, had hesitated to include Luther. Several of the sculptors, including Ohnmacht and Schadow, had urged the king to include Luther, as did Johannes von Müller . Ludwig finally commissioned Luther's bust in 1831 from Ernst Friedrich Rietschel. It

6405-428: The demand for French silver francs and testoons . In 1641 King Louis XIII therefore introduced a new Louis d'Argent equal to the Spanish dollar and worth three livres tournois , weighing 27.19 g and 0.917 fine. In 1726 France issued its own thaler coin, the silver écu of 6 livres with about 26.7 g fine silver; it would also find currency in Southern Germany and Switzerland as the laubthaler . Finally, in 1795

SECTION 60

#1732773038676

6510-434: The enclosed burial mound. Helgi awakens, stating he must "ride along the blood-red roads, to set the pale horse to tread the path of the sky," and return before the rooster Salgófnir crows. Helgi and the host of men ride away, and Sigrún and her servant go back to their house. Sigrún orders her maid to wait for him by the mound the next night, but after she arrives at dawn, she finds he is still journeying. The prose narrative at

6615-425: The end of the poem relates Sigrún dies of sadness, but the two are thought to be re-born as Helgi Haddingjaskati and the valkyrie Kára . Valhalla is referenced in the Prose Edda books Gylfaginning and Skáldskaparmál . Valhalla is first mentioned in chapter 2 of the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning , where it is described partially in euhemerized form. In the chapter, King Gylfi sets out to Asgard in

6720-449: The entire world, and they return in time for the first meal there. In chapter 39, Gangleri asks about the food and drinks the Einherjar consume, and asks if only water is available there. High replies of course, Valhalla has food and drinks fit for kings and jarls , for the mead consumed in Valhalla is produced from the udders of the goat Heiðrún, who in turn feeds on the leaves of the "famous tree" Læraðr. The goat produces so much mead in

6825-464: The feminine noun hǫll 'hall'. The form " Valhalla " comes from an attempt to clarify the grammatical gender of the word. Valr has cognates in other Germanic languages such as Old English wæl 'the slain, slaughter, carnage', Old Saxon wal-dād 'murder', Old High German 'battlefield, blood bath'. All of these forms descend from the Proto-Germanic masculine noun * walaz . Among related Old Norse concepts, valr also appears as

6930-450: The first element of the noun valkyrja 'chooser of the slain, valkyrie '. The second element, hǫll , is a common Old Norse noun. It is cognate to Modern English hall and offers the same meaning. Both developed from Proto-Germanic * xallō or * hallō , meaning 'covered place, hall', from the Proto-Indo-European root * kol- . As philologists such as Calvert Watkins note, the same Indo-European root produced Old Norse hel ,

7035-439: The first half of the 17th century (e.g. Augsburg 1627, Nürnberg 1631). The type continues to be popular throughout the 18th century, culminating in detailed city panoramas rendered in one-point perspective . In the late 16th and 17th centuries, there was a fashion of oversized thaler coins, the so-called "multiple thalers", often called Löser in Germany. The first were minted in the Duchy of Brunswick-Luneburg , and indeed

7140-482: The following Valhalla reference: "The hammer of the gods/ Will drive our ships to new lands/ To fight the horde, sing and cry/ Valhalla, I am coming". Judas Priest 's seventeenth studio album Redeemer of Souls released in 2014 included the song Halls of Valhalla , as lead singer Rob Halford describes as "singing about being on the North Sea and heading to Denmark or Sweden searching for Valhalla". Australian band Skegss 's third album, Rehearsal (2021), contains

7245-410: The guise of an old man going by the name of Gangleri to find the source of the power of the gods. The narrative states the Æsir prophesied his arrival and prepared grand illusions for him, so as Gangerli enters the fortress, he sees a hall of such a height, he has trouble seeing over it, and notices the roof of the hall is covered in golden shields, as if they were shingles. Snorri quotes a stanza by

7350-415: The hall has wall-panels covered with attractive shields. This location is confirmed as Valhalla in chapter 33. In chapter 2, a quote from the anonymous 10th-century poem Eiríksmál is provided (see the Fagrskinna section below for more detail and another translation from another source): What sort of dream is that, Odin? I dreamed I rose up before dawn to clear up Val-hall for slain people . I aroused

7455-416: The halls within Valhalla, Odin states he thinks his son's may be greatest. In stanzas 25 through 26, Odin states the goat Heiðrún and the hart Eikþyrnir stand on top of Valhalla and graze on the branches of the tree Læraðr. Heiðrún's udder produces vats of mead , a liquor beyond compare, and Eikþyrnir's antlers drip liquid into the spring Hvergelmir from which flows forth all waters. In stanza 38 of

7560-587: The history frieze also serves as a visual separation between the lower bust zone and the upper panel zone. There are also twelve marble armchairs in the interior, which were created by the sculptor Ernst Mayer, and eight marble candlesticks. By 1806 Napoleon 's First French Empire had annexed German lands along the Rhine River and the North Sea . Central German states formed the Confederation of

7665-435: The idea of reminding all Germans of their common heritage – of the great figures and events in ethnic German history. He commissioned several sculptors to create busts of famous individuals of his choice. Johann Gottfried Schadow 's bust of Nicolaus Copernicus became one of the first completed, in 1807. Further suggestions for individuals to be honoured were solicited in 1808 from Swiss historian Johannes von Müller . By

7770-719: The inauguration in 1842, a total of 96 busts were arranged, in two rows, in chronological order (by year of death), beginning with Henry the Fowler (d. 936) and ending with Goethe (d. 1832). The upper row comprised 70 busts, beginning with Henry the Fowler and ending with Maria Theresa . The lower row comprised a total of 26 busts of modern scholars, beginning with Lessing and ending with Goethe . Plaques were made for people (or acts) of which no portraits or descriptions were available to model sculptures after. The timeline spans from Arminius a.k.a. Hermann der Cherusker (born 17 BC) to watchmaker Peter Henlein , who died in 1542. In 2003

7875-677: The inflationary period following its defeat in the First World War. The Maria Theresa thaler , the most famous example of the Conventionsthaler minted from 1751, enjoyed a special role as trade currency and continued to be minted long after the death of Maria Theresa in 1780, with coins minted after her death always showing the year 1780. Francis Joseph of Austria declared it an official trade coinage in 1857 just before it lost legal tender status in Austria following issue of

7980-513: The land of the jötunn, Jötunheimr , among various other things. Eventually, the gods tire of his boasting and invoke Thor, who arrives. Hrungnir states that he is under the Aesir's protection as a guest and therefore he can't be harmed while in Valhalla. After an exchange of words, Hrungnir challenges Thor to a duel at the location of Griotunagardar , resulting in Hrungnir's death. In chapter 34,

8085-520: The lowest throne, Just-As-High sitting on the next highest throne, and Third sitting on the highest. The man guiding Gangleri tells him High is the king of the hall. In chapter 20, Third states Odin mans Valhalla with the Einherjar: those killed in battle and become Odin's adopted sons. In chapter 36, High states valkyries serve drinks and see to the tables in Valhalla, and Grímnismál stanzas 40 to 41 are quoted in reference to this. High continues

8190-460: The majority were struck there. Some of these coins reached colossal size, as much as sixteen normal thalers, exceeding a full pound (over 450 g) of silver and being over 12 cm (5 in) in diameter. The name Löser most likely was derived from a large gold coin minted in Hamburg called the portugalöser , worth 10 ducats, which were based on Portuguese 10-ducat coins. Eventually the term

8295-439: The modern-day Swiss franc at par with the French franc , with 40 Swiss francs exchanged for 7 kronenthaler. The five-franc coin of 25.0 g, 90% fine silver became the coin with the closest value to the different historical thalers. The name thaler was introduced to Scandinavia as daler . The first Swedish daler coins were minted in 1534. The Norwegian speciedaler was minted from 1560. Later Scandinavian daler coins included

8400-575: The name of several modern currencies. German taler is recorded from the 1530s, as an abbreviation of Joachimstaler . The silver mines at Joachimstal had opened in 1516, and the first such coins were minted there in 1518. The original spelling was taler (so Alberus 1540). German -taler means "of the valley" (cf. Neanderthaler ). By the late 16th century, the word was variously spelled as German taler , toler , thaler , thaller ; Low German daler , dahler . In 18th to 19th-century German orthography, Thaler became standard, changed to Taler in

8505-513: The north side, designed by Christian Daniel Rauch and executed by Ludwig von Schwanthaler, shows on the left the Germanic tribes under Arminius in the battle in the Teutoburg Forest against the Romans attacking from the west right. The southern gable represents Germany's liberation in 1814, in the middle Germania, from the left and right the German states and federal fortresses approach in homage, in

8610-464: The original Reichsthaler specie of 9 1 ⁄ 4 to a Mark as their standard coin until 1875. The "city view" thalers of the 17th and 18th century have predecessors in stylised representations of cities (as three towers, or a city gate) on the obverse of thaler coins in the late 16th century, such as the Lüneburg thaler of Rudolf II made in 1584. More elaborate city views become current in

8715-430: The phrase "visiting Odin" in a work by the 10th-century skald Þjóðólfr of Hvinir describing that, upon his death, King Vanlandi went to Valhalla. In chapter 32 of Hákonar saga Góða , Haakon I of Norway is given a pagan burial, which is described as sending him on his way to Valhalla. Verses from Hákonarmál are then quoted in support, themselves containing references to Valhalla. In chapter 8 of Fagrskinna

8820-414: The poem Helgakviða Hundingsbana II , the hero Helgi Hundingsbane dies and goes to Valhalla. In stanza 38, Helgi's glory there is described: So was Helgi beside the chieftains like the bright-growing ash beside the thorn-bush and the young stag, drenched in dew, who surpasses all other animals and whose horns glow against the sky itself. Prose follows after this stanza, stating a burial-mound

8925-525: The purpose of the subterranean level set within the foundation, the entrance to which is visible from the Danube River. The Central Aisle leads to the Hall of Expectations (Halle der Erwartungen), which was meant to house busts of individuals considered worthy of joining Walhalla, but who were still living at the time of their busts' creation. These busts would be ceremoniously carried into Walhalla following

9030-585: The same year), Friedrich Schelling (died 1854, added 1860) and Ludwig van Beethoven (added 1866). In 1853, King Ludwig I established an additional Hall of Fame in Munich, specifically for Bavarians – the Ruhmeshalle . Nine of the Bavarian enshrinees have since become Walhalla enshrinees. Their busts in the Ruhmeshalle were destroyed in 1944, during a bombing raid , and have not been replaced. Instead,

9135-466: The silver deposits—being mined at Schwaz —to work with and his mint at Hall , Sigismund issued, in 1486, large numbers of the first true thaler-sized coin, the Guldengroschen ("gold-groat", being of silver but equal in value to a Goldgulden). It was an instant and unqualified success. Soon it was being copied widely by many states who had the necessary silver. The engravers, no less affected by

9240-572: The skald Þjóðólfr of Hvinir (c. 900). As he continues, Gangleri sees a man in the doorway of the hall juggling short swords, and keeping seven in the air simultaneously. Among other things, the man says the hall belongs to his king, and adds he can take Gangleri to the king. Gangleri follows him, and the door closes behind him. All around him, he sees many living areas, and throngs of people, some of which are playing games, some are drinking, and others are fighting with weapons. Gangleri sees three thrones, and three figures sitting upon them: High sitting on

9345-544: The spandrel the border rivers Rhine and Moselle are symbolized. Inside, the Walhalla is 48.5 meters long, 14 meters wide and 15.5 meters high. The surrounding frieze by Martin von Wagner depicts the early history of the Germanic peoples, their departure from the Caucasus and their immigration into Central Europe. The final stage is the conversion to the Christian faith by Saint Boniface. In addition to its decorative function,

9450-473: The standard Reichsthaler specie coin; this thaler was worth 12 to a Mark after 1690, 13 1 ⁄ 3 to a Mark after 1754, and 14 to a Mark (the Prussian thaler ) by the 1840s. Furthermore, in 1754 a Conventionsthaler was developed by the Austrian Empire minted at 10 to a Mark of fine silver. While it was adopted by most German states, Scandinavia and a few North German states retained

9555-462: The thaler as currency continued outside Europe in the form of the U.S. dollar and the Canadian dollar , the Mexican peso and the various pesos of Spanish America , and the Ethiopian birr . The thaler (and its linguistic variants) would also survive as the informal name of coins identical to the historical coin like the German 3-mark coin, the Dutch 2 1 ⁄ 2 -gulden coin, the 5-franc coins of

9660-638: The time of Crown Prince Ludwig's coronation as King Ludwig I of Bavaria in 1825, 60 busts had been completed. In 1826 Ludwig commissioned the construction of a memorial above the Danube River , near Regensburg , modelled after the Parthenon in Athens . The southern pediment frieze features the 1815 creation of the German Confederation ; the northern pediment frieze features scenes from

9765-448: The tree Glasir is stated as located in front of the doors of Valhalla. The tree is described as having foliage of red gold and being the most beautiful tree among both gods and men. A quote from a work by the 9th-century skald Bragi Boddason is presented that confirms the description. Valhalla is mentioned in euhemerized form and as an element of remaining Norse pagan belief in Heimskringla . In chapter 8 of Ynglinga saga ,

9870-562: The valkyries are sent by Odin to every battle; they choose who is to die, and determine victory. In chapter 38, Gangleri says: "You say all men who have fallen in battle from the beginning of the world are now with Odin in Valhalla. With what does he feed them? I should think the crowd there is large." High responds this is indeed true, a huge amount are already in Valhalla, but yet this amount will seem to be too few before "the wolf comes." High describes there are never too many to feed in Valhalla, for they feast from Sæhrímnir (here described as

9975-541: Was adopted as the standard coin by most German states as well as in the Habsburg Empire . Vereinsthalers were issued until 1871 in Germany and 1867 in Austria. Within the new German Empire, silver vereinsthaler coins remained unlimited legal tender at a value of 3 German gold marks until 1908 when they were withdrawn and demonetized. Some old countermarked thalers circulated as emergency coinage in Germany during

10080-506: Was adopted by many South German states by the early 19th century. The term daalder continued to refer to 1 1 ⁄ 2 gulden in currency even after the discontinuation of the 1 1 ⁄ 2 gulden or 30 stuiver piece in the 19th century. The rijksdaalder was also known as the silver ducat, which is still minted for collectors in the Netherlands today. The discovery of massive silver supplies in Spanish America in

10185-582: Was adopted in English as daler by 1550, modified to dollar by about 1600. English thaler was introduced in the first half of the 19th century to refer to the coins of the German states, as the word dollar was increasingly understood to refer to the United States dollar . The development of large silver coins is an innovation of the beginning Early Modern period . The largest medieval silver coins were known as groat (German Groschen ), from denarius grossus or "thick penny". These rarely exceeded

10290-422: Was applied to numerous similar coins worth more than a single thaler. These coins are very rare and highly sought after by collectors. As few of them were circulated in any real sense, they are often well-preserved. The Spanish Netherlands and the independent Dutch Republic has had a history of minting large silver coins separately from the rest of the Holy Roman Empire . It issued the kruisdaalder (depicting

10395-516: Was available on which to model a sculpture. When the memorial was opened in 1842, Guido von Lessner authored a poem about Germany's greatness which was set to music by Joseph Hartmann Stuntz. Since being "of the German tongue " was the main selection criterion for the original 160 persons representing the 1,800 years of German history, the king included individuals of the wider Germanic sphere , including ancient Germanic notables as well as people from

10500-471: Was fixed at 1 3 ⁄ 4 South German gulden - hence 9.545 g fine silver per gulden. The North German thaler , valued at 3 ⁄ 4 a Conventionsthaler or 13 1 ⁄ 3 to a Cologne Mark fine silver at the start of the 19th century, was revalued in the 1840s at par with the Prussian thaler , at 14 to a Mark, though with varying subdivisions. In 1857, the Vereinsthaler worth 1 North German thaler or 1 3 ⁄ 4 South German gulden

10605-774: Was founded by the Dutch in the early 17th century. "The Lion Daalder holds an important place in American history as America’s first dollar and the root of the word from where the current currency, the US Dollar, found its name." [1] By the 18th century the Spanish-controlled Dutch territories eventually became the Austrian Netherlands . In 1754 it issued the Kronenthaler of weight 29.45 g and 0.873 fineness, or 25.71 g fine silver. This coin

10710-468: Was made for Helgi. After Helgi arrived in Valhalla, he was asked by Odin to manage things with him. In stanza 39, Helgi, now in Valhalla, has his former enemy Hunding—also in Valhalla—do menial tasks; fetching foot-baths for all of the men there, kindling fire, tying dogs, keeping watch of horses, and feeding the pigs before he can get any sleep. In stanzas 40 to 42, Helgi returns to Midgard from Valhalla with

10815-419: Was not included at the inauguration of Walhalla in 1842, but added in 1848 by Ludwig himself. Luther's bust was placed just after the last of the original busts (Goethe's), disregarding the chronological arrangement by year of death. Four further additions were made during Ludwig's lifetime: Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen (died 1847, added 1853), Josef Wenzel Graf Radetzky von Radetz (died 1858, added in

10920-623: Was the Guldengroschen of 1524, its longest-lived coin was the Reichsthaler , which contained 1 ⁄ 9 Cologne Mark of fine silver (or 25.984 g), and which was issued in various versions from 1566 to 1875. From the 17th century a lesser-valued North German thaler currency unit emerged, which by the 19th century became par with the Vereinsthaler . The thaler silver coin type continued to be minted until

11025-539: Was then founded in 1608 to establish a stable bank currency with the rijksdaalder of 29.03 g, 0.875 fine (or 25.4 g fine silver) fixed at 50 stuivers or 2 1 ⁄ 2 gulden . The bank's success helped the Dutch Republic become Europe's financial center in the 17th century and maintain the reichsthaler as its banking currency unit despite Germany's descent into the chaos of the Thirty Years' War . As

#675324