113-Year-Old Swedish Church Completes Historic 5km Relocation in Kiruna

The historic 113-year-old wooden Kiruna Church in northern Sweden was successfully relocated five kilometres to a new site over two days, a major event in the ongoing relocation of the town due to ground subsidence caused by the expansion of the nearby LKAB iron ore mine. Weighing 672 tonnes, the church was moved intact on specially designed remote-controlled flatbed trailers equipped with 224 wheels, traveling at a slow pace of 0.5 kilometres per hour along a widened road. Thousands of people gathered to witness the carefully choreographed move, which included a send-off and celebration attended by Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf, who emphasized the church’s cultural significance. The relocation process, which took nearly a decade of preparation and is part of a larger town-centre move expected to continue for years, aimed to preserve the church’s character and maintain its connection to the community. The event drew international visitors and was broadcast live, highlighting the unique engineering challenge and emotional resonance for residents facing the transformation of their town. The ceremony also featured cultural elements acknowledging the Indigenous Sami people, underscoring the church’s role as a symbol of heritage amid profound change.