Examining the Norse mythology and the archetype of Odin: The inception of Grand Tour

Th e role of Norse mythology has been ignored by historians for long time. Th e evolution of tourism in manuals and guide-books bespeak the legacy of Rome and Greece as cultural matrixes of our civilization. However, we strongly believe that tourism was possible by means of the articulation of two contrasting needs, the curiosity and knowledge that shaped the Grand Tour in Medieval times. As a result of this, it is hypothesized Norse-mythology played a crucial role in the inception of tourism. First of all, the archetype of Wodan/Odin, the upmost God, refers to a mobile deity whose primary interests were linked to wander elsewhere. In form of animal, Odin preferred to visit diff erent reigns in order to know further about the customs, idiosyncrasy and lore of each folk. Th is act conferred to him wisdom. Th e mythical structures of Ancient Germans, an ethnicity compounded and structured around several mobile and nomadic tribes, needed the hospitality as an institution that allowed their ongoing geographical expansion. Th e thesis of this research is that Norse mythology contributed to the inception of "Grand Tour". Also, would have the Grand tour be possible in other country than England? Th is research contradicts the existent conceptual framework, fi rst and foremost, the Anglo-view that said the origin of tourism is a modern phenomenon. We have collected evidence enough to confi rm Th e Norse mythology and the archetype of Anglo-world contributed to the inception of Grand Tour and tourism. Th is triggers and innovates in a new direction respecting to the epistemology of tourism.