Transported on a Special Carrier with 224 Wheels
Relocation Broadcast Live on TV Channels
Village Relocation Costs Reach 1.45 Trillion Won
A 113-year-old wooden church in Sweden will be entirely relocated 5 km east from its current location. The move became inevitable as iron ore mining put the city center at risk of ground subsidence and cracks. On August 20, Yonhap News, citing AP and dpa, reported that in Kiruna, the northernmost city in Sweden, the relocation of the town's landmark, Kiruna Church, to a new village site began in front of thousands of onlookers.
A 113-year-old wooden church in Sweden will be relocated entirely 5 km east from its current location. Reuters·Yonhap News
The church, measuring approximately 40 meters in length, width, and height, and weighing 672 tons, began its journey after a blessing ceremony by Pastor Lena Shernberi. It is being transported at a speed of 500 meters per hour on a special carrier equipped with 224 wheels. Instead of dismantling the building, engineers are supporting it with steel beams and moving it as a single unit on a self-propelled modular transporter.
The church, built on a hill overlooking the entire city of Kiruna, was donated by the state-owned mining company LKAB and designed in the style of the Sami people. LKAB began operating the Kiruna mine in 1910 and completed and donated the church in 1912. As the mine expanded deep underground, cracks appeared in city center buildings and roads, prompting the relocation of the village for safety reasons starting in 2004. While most buildings were demolished and rebuilt, some landmarks, including the church, are being relocated intact. The cost of relocating the city, estimated at over 10 billion Swedish kronor (about 1.4577 trillion won), is being covered by LKAB. The church is scheduled to reopen at the end of next year.
Selected as the Most Beautiful Building in Sweden in 2001
Kiruna Church was selected as the most beautiful building in Sweden in 2001. It was a major tourist attraction in the town until it was closed last year for the relocation work. Swedish public broadcaster SVT is broadcasting the two-day relocation live. On the evening of August 20, KAJ, the band that represented Sweden at this year's Eurovision Song Contest, will hold a commemorative performance, and King Carl Gustaf XVI is also scheduled to visit.
Kiruna Church was selected as the most beautiful building in Sweden in 2001. It was a major tourist attraction in the town until it was closed last year for renovation work. Photo by Reuters and Yonhap News
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson described the relocation of the church as "a symbol of respect for our shared cultural heritage and the mining industry that has made our country rich and strong." Kiruna, with a population of about 23,000, is home to the world's largest iron ore mine. However, as the mine expanded underground and the ground became unstable, the relocation of the town began. As of last month, 25 buildings had been relocated, and plans are in place to move 16 more, including Kiruna Church. The church will reopen at the end of next year.
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