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Sweden's Kiruna Church Is On The Move After More Than 100 Years
Kiruna church, weighing 672,4 tons, will be transported to a new location almost two miles away to avoid damages caused by LKAB´s iron ore mine. Getty Images
In a spectacle unfolding over two days this week, the landmark Kiruna Church is being transported on a hydraulic transporter along a specially prepared three-mile route.
The move of the 130-foot-wide, 115-foot-tall structure represents the most striking chapter yet in a decades-long relocation project that has already shifted hundreds of homes, businesses, and public buildings out of harm's way.
Kiruna's move is driven by ground subsidence linked to the vast iron ore deposits beneath the city. When the settlement was founded in 1890, the surrounding mountains offered vital shelter from Arctic winds, making it an ideal location.
More than a century later, the growth of what is now the world's largest underground iron ore mine has forced a dramatic rethink. To reach the richest seams, operator LKAB must tunnel beneath the original town site in an outcome the city's founders could never have imagined.
The church was completed in 1912 and is widely considered one of Sweden's most beautiful pre-1950 buildings.
The organ in Kiruna Church, one of largest wooden buildings in Sweden. LightRocket via Getty Images
Designed by architect Gustaf Wickman, it blends Scandinavian Romantic style with influences from Sami culture and Norwegian stave churches.
Something that's lacking is many overtly Christian symbols. While a compromise was reached to include a cross, Lundbohm wanted everyone to feel welcome in the church.
Its striking red-painted wooden walls and ornate interior have made it the pride of Kiruna for generations, as well as a significant tourist attraction. How To Move A Church
Unlike some other heritage buildings in the city, which were dismantled and rebuilt piece by piece, the church is being relocated intact.
Engineers from the contractor Veidekke, working with specialists in heavy transport, have jacked the 600-ton structure onto a self-propelled modular transporter.
Roads have been widened, viaducts demolished, and infrastructure re-routed to allow the slow journey to its new home beside the cemetery and the emerging city center.
Veidekke's CEO Jimmy Bengtsson said the company has already been involved with the dismantling of the old city center and the construction of the new one. 'We have moved 12 important cultural buildings,' he added. A Cultural Event For Kiruna
The relocation is not only an engineering feat but also a cultural event. Following a blessing from church leaders of the church and planned route, the move got underaway at approximately 8am local time on August 19.
The incredible relocation project is being live streamed to fascinated audiences across Sweden and beyond. Getty Images
Thousands of locals and visitors gathered to watch the church inch along the road, while concerts and community activities accompanied the move.
LKAB, the state-owned mining company financing the project, has organized a livestream for global audiences, ensuring that the extraordinary sight of a church on wheels can be shared far beyond the Arctic Circle.
Swedish media including the newspaper Aftonbladet are also live streaming the remarkable event.
Yet for residents, the moment is bittersweet. Kiruna's vicar has described the move as 'a rebirth,' while others reflect on the loss of familiar landscapes swallowed by mining.
Sami communities, whose reindeer herding routes have been affected by both the mine and the city's expansion, have voiced concern over the wider impact of development in the region.
Once resettled on its new site, the church will be carefully restored and rotated so its entrance faces the community, which is a traditional orientation for folk churches in Arctic Sweden.
The grave of Hjalmar Lundbohm, Kiruna's founding figure, will also be relocated to rest beside the church once more.
Visitors who come for the northern lights, one of the region's most famous ice hotels or to explore the Arctic wilderness now have the chance to witness history in motion: an entire city redefining itself and its most cherished building taking a slow, stately journey into the future. MORE FROM FORBES Forbes How To Visit Kiruna, Sweden's City On The Move By David Nikel Forbes Why You Should Plan A Northern Lights Trip To Scandinavia In 2025 By David Nikel Forbes 5 Great Reasons To Visit Sweden In 2025 By David Nikel
