In Norse mythology

Norse mythology

Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...

, Andlang (also Andlàngr or Öndlangr) is described as the second heavenly realm which stretches between the first, containing the halls of the gods, and the third, named Vídbláin

Vídbláin

In Norse mythology, Víðbláinn is the third heaven in the cosmology of Snorri's Gylfaginning, located above Andlang and Asgard. It will serve as a shelter and dwelling place for the souls of the dead during and after the destruction of Ragnarök....

. It will serve as a shelter and dwelling place for the souls of the dead during and after the destruction of Ragnarök

Ragnarök

In Norse mythology, Ragnarök is a series of future events, including a great battle foretold to ultimately result in the death of a number of major figures , the occurrence of various natural disasters, and the subsequent submersion of the world in water...

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Simek (1995) sees a functional connection between Andlang and the Coelus Spiritualis (lit. 'spiritual heaven') mentioned in the medieval text Elucidarius. Holtsmark (1964) comes to a similar conclusion, but from an analysis of the name andlegr himinn ('spiritual heaven') itself, with and- / önd- possibly arising from andi / önd, 'breath, spirit'. Earlier attempts at interpretation include "long-" or "far-breathing" (Magnusen 1828), "endlessly long" (Eduard 1843) and "limitless aether" (Weidenbach 1851).