InNorse mythology,Gjallarbrú (lit. "bridge ofGjöll") is a bridge that crosses the river Gjöll, serving as the passage to reachHel.[1]
It figures most prominently inSnorri Sturluson'sGylfaginning, in the section of theBaldr myth that recountsHermód' journey toHel in an attempt to retrieve Baldr. After riding for nine nights through deep, dark valleys,Hermód reaches the bridge, where he converses withMódgud, the maiden who guards it. She asks his name and lineage and informs him that five companies of dead men crossed the bridge the previous day, yet it trembles no more beneath their passage than under his alone, and he does not resemble the dead.
When she inquires about his purpose, Hermód explains his mission and asks whether Baldr has passed that way. She replies that Baldr has indeed come and directs him onward, stating that the road to Hel lies downwards and to the north. Snorri adds that the bridge is thatched with glittering gold.[1][2]