Why this town in Sweden is moving its historic wooden cathedral

From a distance, it is hard to tell if it is even moving. A closer look reveals an amazing sight: the famous Kiruna Church in Sweden, weighing around 600 tonnes, slowly making its way forward at a speed of half a kilometre per hour. Supported by 224 wheels, the enormous wooden cathedral was making its way through northern Sweden on a meticulously carved path.The Kiruna Church, also known as Kiruna Kyrka in Swedish, was a much-revered architectural wonder that stood entrenched in one place for 113 years. It was named the most beautiful pre-1950 building in the nation by a national vote conducted in 2001. As the relocation got underway, the residents held their breath, worried that one mistake might shatter their cherished landmark.

Why Kiruna Kyrka is being relocated

This remarkable operation is being performed for existential rather than aesthetic reasons. With tunnels beneath the city, one of the biggest underground iron ore mines in the world is located next to Kiruna’s town core. The ground has started to shift and break over time, endangering buildings. Large portions of Kiruna would need to be relocated, as officials have known since 2004.The 672-tonne, 113-year-old Kiruna Kyrka is being moved three miles (5 km) to the east towards the new city centre to avoid ground subsidence caused by the expansion of the largest underground iron ore mine in Europe, as reported by The Guardian.

This two-day operation, known as ‘the big church move,’ is the result of more than 500 million krona (£39m) in funding and eight years of planning. The church is being lifted onto a specially designed, ultra-wide caravan and rolled slowly at about 0.5 kilometres per hour over a carefully enlarged path.Its enormous size prevented it from moving in a straight line, so engineers created a convoluted path that was sufficiently broad for the structure to manoeuvre.

The serious yet joyous occasion began with a blessing from the vicar, Lena Tjarnberg, and officials shortly before the relocation began. The church’s current location is in a recently designed town centre, 3 km to the east. Many other historic structures have already been relocated, and a striking new city hall opened in 2018.

Thousands of people gathered to witness the church’s first glacier steps, including dignitaries and the Swedish king, Carl XVI Gustaf. The relocation became a national event and a social statement as onlookers were treated to live ‘slow TV’ coverage and musical tributes.

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The state-owned mining corporation LKAB is funding the entire city’s relocation, which is estimated to cost several billion dollars and will last until the mid-2030s. However, the Kiruna Church is anticipated to arrive at its new foundation by midweek.

The church is expected to reopen at its new site by late 2026, bridging the gap between tradition and modernity. The town’s whole relocation, which would involve thousands of individuals and about 3,000 homes, is expected to be completed by 2035.