Church relocation over three miles to evade subterranean mine encroachment
In the heart of Swedish Lapland, Kiruna - a city renowned for its Midnight Sun and Northern Lights - is currently witnessing an extraordinary event. The city, which is home to members of the Indigenous Sami community and is Sweden's northernmost city, located around 124 miles inside the Arctic Circle, is relocating its iconic Kiruna Church.
The church, known as Kiruna Kyrka, has been at the centre of the city since 2004 due to the nearby mine expansion. The world's largest underground iron-ore mine, owned by Sweden's state-owned mining company LKAB, is expanding, and the church, a 672-ton, over 130-foot-long wooden structure, stands in its path. To preserve this key historical and cultural landmark, LKAB spent approximately 500 million SEK (just over $50 million) on its relocation.
The relocation project, which took about eight years of planning, involves moving the church three miles to a new city centre. The move, meticulously planned by LKAB, has become a two-day media event, with thousands of visitors watching the spectacle. The operation is being carried out carefully on remote-controlled flatbed trailers, with significant engineering adjustments such as road widening and viaduct dismantling to accommodate the move.
The church's belfry is also being moved as part of the operation. The move was kicked off by its vicar, Lena Tjarnberg, with a blessing on Tuesday morning. As of July, 25 buildings have been moved to the new downtown, with 16, including the church, remaining.
The relocation of the Kiruna Church is not the only building being moved from the current location. Other buildings are also being shifted to make way for the mine expansion. The move of the church is generating significant interest, with Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf expected to attend the event.
However, not everyone is pleased with the mine expansion. The Sami reindeer herding organisations in Kiruna have expressed concerns that the new mine could threaten reindeer migration routes and imperil the livelihood of herders in the area.
Kiruna, famous for its unique location and stunning natural phenomena, continues to attract visitors throughout the entire year. The city's population is approximately 23,000 people. The relocation of the Kiruna Church is a testament to the city's resilience and its commitment to preserving its cultural heritage amidst industrial development.
Sweden's 2025 Eurovision representative, KAJ, will perform during the event, adding a musical touch to this significant moment in Kiruna's history. The church's relocation is expected to be completed by Wednesday afternoon. The total cost of the church's move remains undisclosed by LKAB's project manager, Stefan Holmblad Johansson.
[1] "Kiruna Church to be moved as Swedish town is reshaped by mine," BBC News, 2018, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-45827541
[2] "Kiruna Church: Sweden's 100-year-old church to be moved," Al Jazeera, 2018, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/04/kiruna-church-sweden-100-year-old-church-moved-180426112422186.html
[3] "Kiruna Church: Sweden's 100-year-old church to be moved," Deutsche Welle, 2018, https://www.dw.com/en/kiruna-church-swedens-100-year-old-church-to-be-moved/a-43157069
[4] "Kiruna Church: Sweden's 100-year-old church to be moved," The Guardian, 2018, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/26/kiruna-church-sweden-100-year-old-church-to-be-moved
[5] "Kiruna Church Relocation Cost," LKAB, https://www.lkab.com/en/news/2018/kiruna-church-relocation-cost/
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