113-Year-Old Swedish Church Completes Historic Three-Mile Move

In a historic undertaking that has captivated the world, the 113-year-old Kiruna Church has been successfully moved to a new location. The landmark building, a national heritage site, embarked on its two-day journey on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, as part of a monumental effort to relocate the entire city of Kiruna.

The relocation of the church is a symbolic and crucial step in Kiruna's ongoing urban transformation project. The city, situated 124 miles inside the Arctic Circle, is built atop the world's largest and most modern underground iron ore mine, operated by the state-owned company LKAB. The expansion of the mine has caused ground subsidence, threatening to "swallow" the city and its infrastructure. To prevent this, the city center is being moved three miles east to a new, safer downtown area. This decades-long project will see thousands of homes and buildings, including historical landmarks, either moved or demolished and rebuilt.

The Kiruna Church, which is one of Sweden's largest wooden structures, was a top priority for preservation. Weighing 672 tons, the church was carefully lifted from its foundations and placed on a specialized trailer with 224 wheels. The journey was a meticulous process, with the church crawling along a specially widened road at a speed of just 500 meters per hour. Crowds gathered along the route, which was dubbed "The Great Church Walk," to witness the historic move. The church's vicar, Lena Tjarnberg, blessed the start of the journey, and the event was live-streamed and broadcast to a large screen in the town square.

The church has now arrived at its new home between the new city center and the cemetery. The new location aims to create a cohesive cultural environment, with other parish buildings also slated for relocation. After the move, the church will undergo restoration and is expected to reopen to the public at the end of 2026. This move, which has been in the planning for eight years and cost over 500 million kronor, is a testament to the city's commitment to preserving its cultural heritage while adapting to the unique challenges posed by its industrial identity.

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