A historic church in Sweden’s Arctic town of Kiruna has begun an unprecedented two-day relocation to escape ground subsidence from mining operations, moving intact on specialized platforms at walking speed. This engineering marvel preserves a 113-year-old cultural landmark while accommodating essential iron ore extraction that funds the remote community.
The Kiruna Church, a 35-meter-tall red timber structure weighing 672 tonnes, started its 5km journey on August 19, 2025. Built in 1912 and once voted Sweden’s most beautiful pre-1950 building, the church is being transported fully intact – including fragile interior elements like Prince Eugen’s altar painting and a 1,000-pipe organ – using self-propelled modular transporters.
Project manager Stefan Holmblad Johansson of mining company LKAB leads the operation, which required extensive preparations including road widening to 24 meters and removal of infrastructure obstacles. The church moves at 0.5-1.5 km/h (0.3-0.9 mph) with scheduled pauses for traditional Swedish ‘fika’ coffee breaks, expected to reach its new location by August 20 afternoon.
The relocation addresses ground fissures threatening Kiruna’s old center after 120+ years of iron ore mining. Robert Ylitalo, CEO of Kiruna’s development company, explains that while immediate collapse risks are low, subsidence would eventually cripple water and sewage systems. Swedish law prohibits mining under buildings, necessitating the town’s gradual relocation at a cost exceeding 10 billion SEK ($1bn) funded by state-owned LKAB.
For Kiruna’s 23,000 residents – including Indigenous Sami communities – the move carries deep emotional significance. Vicar Lena Tjärnberg described the bittersweet moment: ‘The church is leaving ground where it became a church.’ Local culture strategist Sofia Lagerlöf Määttä recalled childhood memories within its walls, noting the community is ‘moving memories of joy and sorrow into the future.’
The event has drawn thousands of spectators, including King Carl XVI Gustaf, with Swedish broadcaster SVT livestreaming the move as ‘slow TV’ spectacle. Musical performances by Sweden’s 2025 Eurovision entry KAJ accompany the procession, transforming the engineering project into a national cultural moment.
After settling at its new site, the church will undergo stabilization and become the spiritual center of Kiruna’s relocated downtown. This move represents the most symbolic phase of Kiruna’s decade-long urban relocation, following earlier transfers of the city hall clock tower and historic homes. The project sets a global precedent for balancing industrial needs with heritage preservation in mining communities.