Frigg – mistress of Asgard

Frigg belongs to the Æsir and is the highest-ranking female deity in the Norse pantheon. Her home is called Fensalir (“the Marsh Halls”), a palace in Asgard. Frigg is best known for her role as the guardian of marriage, but also as the mother of Balder, the fairest and most beloved of the gods.

At times, Frigg wears a magical garment known as a falcon-cloak. This dress, made of feathers, enables her to transform into a falcon and fly between worlds. She is also often depicted wearing a great blue cloak symbolising the sky.

Odin’s wise wife

Though married to the god of wisdom, Frigg could outwit him, and they would sometimes wager on different matters. Odin often sought counsel from his wise wife, and although she did not practise divination, she possessed much knowledge of the future. Despite being the protector of marriage, Frigg was unfaithful to Odin on several occasions, including with his own brothers.

Frigg is often likened to Freyja, another powerful goddess in Norse mythology, and their roles are sometimes confused. Freyja is the goddess of love and sexuality, but also associated with fertility, beauty and passion. Both are strongly connected to love and relationships, but in different ways: Frigg represents the sanctity of marriage, while Freyja symbolises free love and sexual independence.

As queen of the gods, Frigg is surrounded by the company of women. Her handmaiden Fulla, with a golden band in her hair, tends Frigg’s clothing chest and all her shoes, and knows all of Frigg’s secrets. Among those in her service is also Gná, whom she can send out as a messenger. When Frigg wishes to grant someone protection, she sends instead the goddess Hlín – a name which Frigg herself is sometimes given.

The significance of Frigg today

Her name is connected to the Old Norse word fríja, meaning “to love”. It is from Frigg that we derive the name of Friday, once thought to be the best day for marriage.

She also holds an important place in popular culture, modern heathenism and Norse-inspired fantasy. As a goddess who both safeguards the home and bears secret knowledge of the future, Frigg occupies a unique position in mythology.