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Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
A miracle on wheels: 113-year-old iconic Swedish church completes breathtaking 2-day move - here's why
After a carefully executed two-day operation, Kiruna's 113-year-old red timber church has arrived safely at its new place. The relocation concluded the end of a delicate journey focused at shielding the structure from ground subsidence caused by long term iron ore mining. The iconic symbol of the northern Swedish city, traveled five kilometers on specially engineered trailers at a slow pace of 500 meters per hour, preserving its integrity throughout the move. Why the Church Had to Move Recognized as one of the nation's finest wooden buildings, the church had stood in its original location for over a the ground beneath it became unstable due to intense iron ore mining, pushing officials to carry out the massive relocation. At risk of subsidence, the church was mounted on specially made trailers and transported five kilometers at an average speed of just 500 meters per hour. The journey began with a heartfelt ceremony led by parish vicar Lena Tjärnberg and Bishop Åsa Nyström of the Diocese of Luleå. Their blessing set the tone for the trip, which rapidly drew large crowds. Despite the church moving only 30 meters in its initial hour, enthusiasm never waned. Residents lined across the streets, waving flags, filming , and celebrating in what many explained as a once-in-a-lifetime event. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The #1 Mistake Tinnitus Sufferers Make Every Night (I Did It for Years) Derila Ergo Undo At the end of the second day, the church finally arrived on firmer ground safe and intact. Cheers and applause erupted as the structure settled into its new place, making not just the end of a journey but the continuation of a legacy. Architectural Significance Built in the early 20th century, the church is popular for its vivid red cladding and architectural style blending Scandinavian design with influences from the indigenous Sámi people. Beyond its role as a place of worship, it has long stood as a community hub and a symbol of Kiruna's identity. Live Events FAQs: Q1. Where is Kiruna Church located? A1. Kiruna Church is located in Kiruna, a city in northern Sweden, about 145 km north of the Arctic Circle. Q2. How old is Kiruna Church? A2. The church is 113 years old.
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Entire 672-tonne Swedish church begins 2-day $1bn journey being moved WHOLE across city to avoid being swallowed by mine
A 672-TON church is being hauled from one side of a city to the other to stop it being swallowed by a mine. The 113-year-old Kiruna Church is embarking on a two day voyage to its new home, travelling at around 500 metres per hour. 5 It has been hoisted onto a vast convoy of trailers Credit: AFP 5 The church's two-day journey began with a blessing from the church's vicar Credit: AFP Advertisement 5 The church is being moved from the old city centre Credit: AFP It has been hoisted onto a vast convoy of trailers as it makes its way through the city of Kiruna in Sweden's far north. The church is being moved from the old city centre - which is at risk from ground fissures due to iron ore mining - to its new location. Buildings across the town are being moved to accommodate an expansion of mining operations. Advertisement Swedish law does not allow mining to take place directly under buildings. Residents had begun to see cracks in buildings and roads as the mine dug deeper, according to Euronews. The church's two-day journey began with a blessing from the church's vicar, Lena Tjärnberg and Bishop Åsa Nyström of the Diocese of Luleå. Vast crowds gathered to watch the church take its first steps towards its new home - with the move set to cost 10bn Swedish krona (£737m). Advertisement The 672-tonne church covered 30 metres in the first hour of its voyage, the BBC has reported. Culture strategist Sofia Lagerlöf Mättää told the broadcaster: "It's a big crowd. "People came not just from Kiruna and other parts of Sweden. I heard many different languages being spoken. At least one dead as wildfires spread across Europe with Mount Vesuvius closed in Italy & French vineyards turned to ash "It's like history taking place in front of our eyes." The 115ft tall Kiruna Church has plenty of history behind it, and was once voted the country's most beautiful pre-1950 building. Advertisement Kiruna itself is Sweden's northernmost city, falling 90 miles north of the Arctic Circle. It is home to around 23,000 people, including members of the Sami Indigenous people. Indeed, the church was designed to emulate a Sami style of architecture. Mine operator LKAB had to widen a major road in the city to make way for the church's voyage. Project manager Stefan Holmblad Johansson told the BBC: "We've done so much preparation. Advertisement "It's a historic event, a very big and complex operation and we don't have a margin of error. But everything is under control." Vicar Lena Tjärnberg told the broadcaster: "The church is leaving a place where it truly belongs. "Everyone knows it has to be relocated. We live in a mining community and depend on the mine. "I'm grateful that we're moving the church with us to the new city centre but there is also sorrow in seeing it leave the ground where it became a church." The church is reportedly set to reopen in its new location at the end of next year. Advertisement However, the full relocation of the city centre isn't expected to be done until 2035, according to The Guardian. 5 The 115ft tall Kiruna Church has plenty of history behind it Credit: AFP
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Entire 672-tonne Swedish church begins 2-day $1bn journey being moved WHOLE across city to avoid being swallowed by mine
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A 672-TON church is being hauled from one side of a city to the other to stop it being swallowed by a mine. The 113-year-old Kiruna Church is embarking on a two day voyage to its new home, travelling at around 500 metres per hour. 5 It has been hoisted onto a vast convoy of trailers Credit: AFP 5 The church's two-day journey began with a blessing from the church's vicar Credit: AFP 5 The church is being moved from the old city centre Credit: AFP It has been hoisted onto a vast convoy of trailers as it makes its way through the city of Kiruna in Sweden's far north. The church is being moved from the old city centre - which is at risk from ground fissures due to iron ore mining - to its new location. Buildings across the town are being moved to accommodate an expansion of mining operations. Swedish law does not allow mining to take place directly under buildings. Residents had begun to see cracks in buildings and roads as the mine dug deeper, according to Euronews. The church's two-day journey began with a blessing from the church's vicar, Lena Tjärnberg and Bishop Åsa Nyström of the Diocese of Luleå. Vast crowds gathered to watch the church take its first steps towards its new home - with the move set to cost 10bn Swedish krona (£737m). The 672-tonne church covered 30 metres in the first hour of its voyage, the BBC has reported. Culture strategist Sofia Lagerlöf Mättää told the broadcaster: "It's a big crowd. "People came not just from Kiruna and other parts of Sweden. I heard many different languages being spoken. At least one dead as wildfires spread across Europe with Mount Vesuvius closed in Italy & French vineyards turned to ash "It's like history taking place in front of our eyes." The 115ft tall Kiruna Church has plenty of history behind it, and was once voted the country's most beautiful pre-1950 building. Kiruna itself is Sweden's northernmost city, falling 90 miles north of the Arctic Circle. It is home to around 23,000 people, including members of the Sami Indigenous people. Indeed, the church was designed to emulate a Sami style of architecture. Mine operator LKAB had to widen a major road in the city to make way for the church's voyage. Project manager Stefan Holmblad Johansson told the BBC: "We've done so much preparation. "It's a historic event, a very big and complex operation and we don't have a margin of error. But everything is under control." Vicar Lena Tjärnberg told the broadcaster: "The church is leaving a place where it truly belongs. "Everyone knows it has to be relocated. We live in a mining community and depend on the mine. "I'm grateful that we're moving the church with us to the new city centre but there is also sorrow in seeing it leave the ground where it became a church." The church is reportedly set to reopen in its new location at the end of next year. However, the full relocation of the city centre isn't expected to be done until 2035, according to The Guardian. 5 The 115ft tall Kiruna Church has plenty of history behind it Credit: AFP
Local Sweden
2 days ago
- Business
- Local Sweden
IN PICS: Historic Swedish wooden church starts move to new home
With great fanfare, a historic red wooden church considered one of Sweden's most beautiful buildings began to move on Tuesday from its longtime home in the Arctic town of Kiruna to allow the expansion of Europe's biggest underground mine. Advertisement Kiruna Kyrka, a Swedish Lutheran church, dates from 1912, but the 672-tonne building will be moved five kilometres (three miles) on remote-controlled flatbed trailers on Tuesday and Wednesday, inching along at a pace of half-a-kilometre an hour to the new Kiruna town. The complex and costly logistical operation kicked off after a blessing by Bishop Åsa Nyström and Vicar Lena Tjarnberg, with the trailers' 220 wheels slowly pulling out just after 8am under sunny blue skies. One of the trickiest parts of the journey was the start, officials said, with the 1,200-tonne convoy required to make a turn and roll down a slight incline to reach the main road it was to travel on. In preparation of Tuesday's move, the ground around the church had been dug out, allowing big yellow beams to be placed underneath so the building could be jacked up on the trailers. The move has generated widespread interest, with more than 10,000 people expected to line the streets of the town of 18,000 people. King Carl XVI Gustaf will be among those in town following the move. Swedish television w ill broadcast the entire journey live - a new iteration of the "slow TV" trend - with 30 cameras set up along the route, it said. Kiruna's entire town centre is being moved because of the giant LKAB iron ore mine that dominates the region, but whose ever deeper burrowing over the years has weakened the ground, increasing the risk of collapse in some parts. Advertisement A crowd watches as the Kiruna church is begins to move on the beams onto which it has been hoisted. Photo: Fredrik Sandberg/TT Unique event The town's relocation process began almost two decades ago and is expected to continue for years to come. The new town centre was officially inaugurated in September 2022. The relocation of the church alone is expected to cost 500 million kronor ($52 million) and is being paid for by LKAB. Designed by Swedish architect Gustaf Wickman, the imposing structure, which measures 40 metres (131 feet) tall, is a mix of influences and includes designs inspired by the region's Indigenous Sami people on the pews. The neo-Gothic exterior features slanting roofs and windows on each side, while its dark interior has elements of national romanticism as well as an Art Nouveau altarpiece. The church is one of 23 cultural buildings relocated in the Kiruna move. LKAB has called the relocation "a unique event in world history". Other larger, heavier objects have been moved before, but usually in ports or industrial areas -- not through small towns. The roads on the route have been widened, from nine to 24 metres, and levelled to provide a smooth ride, a process that took a year, according to LKAB. The company offered to either financially compensate everyone affected by the town's relocation, or to rebuild their homes or buildings. "But when it came to the church, we decided it was best to move it in one piece. We saw the value in that," LKAB project manager Stefan Holmblad Johansson told AFP. "It is with great reverence we have undertaken this project," he said. "This is not just any building, it's a church." The Bishop of Luleå Åsa Nyström blesses the church before it begins its journey. Photo: Fredrik Sandberg/TT Advertisement The structure has been "thoroughly examined ahead of the move to protect its cultural assets in the best possible way, to ensure that the altarpiece and organ in particular are moved with care," the company said. Both the altarpiece - painted by Sweden's Prince Eugen (1865-1947), a pastel landscape inspired by his trips to Italy's Tuscany and western Sweden -- and the large organ with its more than 2,000 pipes have been meticulously wrapped and protected for the journey. The ground around the church's current location has been dug out, allowing big beams to be placed underneath so it could be jacked up. The church is moving at about half a kilometre per hour. Photo: Fredrik Sandberg/TT "The church is sitting on a beam system, then two rows of trailers were brought in" and slid underneath the beams, Holmblad Johansson explained. The entire load weighs 1,200 tonnes, according to LKAB. The belltower, which stands separately next to the church, will be moved next week. Tuesday's move is expected to take on the air of a street party, with LKAB treating crowds to snacks, refreshments and live entertainment. Crowds came to watch the move. Photo: Fredrik Sandberg/TT
