In a remarkable feat of engineering and cultural preservation, the Swedish town of Kiruna is moving its historic church, a 672-tonne wooden structure, to a new location five kilometers away. This monumental relocation is the centerpiece of an even more ambitious project: the gradual shifting of the entire city center, a necessity driven by the relentless expansion of one of the world’s most significant iron ore mines.
The very ground beneath Kiruna is subsiding due to the growth of the vast underground mine, which is crucial to Sweden’s economy and the global steel supply chain. Faced with the choice between abandoning the town or the mine, authorities opted for an unprecedented solution in 2004: to move the city. This large-scale urban migration, which began in earnest in 2018, presents a unique case study in balancing industrial progress with the preservation of a community.
The church, consecrated in 1912, is a national treasure and the largest building to be moved. Its distinctive design was inspired by the traditional dwellings of the indigenous Sámi people, and in 2001, it was voted the most beautiful building in Sweden constructed before 1950. Its careful relocation highlights a profound commitment to safeguarding cultural heritage amidst profound geological and economic transformations.
The complex operation has been transformed into a major community event. A two-day festival accompanies the church’s slow journey, with residents watching the spectacle on a large screen in the town square. In a gesture bridging the past and future, the new site has already been consecrated by local clergy, ensuring that this cherished landmark will continue to serve as the spiritual heart of Kiruna in its new home.