Swedish city of Kiruna wheels entire 672-tonne-church intact to new location

Sweden's Kiruna Church is being transported in its entirety to a new location along a five-kilometre route to accommodate the expansion of the world's largest underground iron-ore mine.

Weighing 672 tonnes, the church is being moved over two days at a cautious speed of half a kilometre per hour as part of a wider scheme to relocate the town of Kiruna, organised by Swedish mining company Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara (LKAB) and its owner, the Swedish government.

The church's relocation, which is being broadcast live, has been named The Great Church Walk, with members of the public invited to walk along the journey at designated parts.


Kiruna Church is being transported in its entirety to a new location

Designed by Swedish architect Gustaf Wickman and inaugurated in 1912, Kiruna Church began its journey at 08:00 local time yesterday and is scheduled to arrive at its final destination between 15:00 and 17:00 today.

Measuring 40 metres wide, the church's wooden structure was hoisted on steel beams perched atop self-propelled modular transporters for its five-kilometre-long relocation journey. In preparation for the move, some roads have been widened over the past year.

Kiruna Church is being moved in its entirety with the aim of minimising damage to the building, compared to if it were dismantled. Its accompanying bell tower will be relocated next week.

After years of planning and careful preparations, Sweden's landmark Kiruna Church began a two-day trip to a new home to save it from ground subsidence and the expansion of the world's largest underground iron ore mine https://t.co/b6t82VWCqo pic.twitter.com/lcT0vGsFVx

— Reuters (@Reuters) August 19, 2025

It was placed atop steel beams on transporters for the journey

"This is an important and carefully planned move, and we are approaching the finish line," said LKAB project manager Stefan Holmblad Johansson.

"The church is truly unique and means a lot to many people beyond just being a landmark of Kiruna, and we want to give everyone the opportunity to follow and be a part of this historic event."

The church is one of 23 cultural buildings to be moved by the state-owned LKAB, which has been extracting iron ore from under Kiruna for over 70 years in what the company claims is the world's largest underground mine for iron ore.

The mining operations have caused a weakening in the ground above that is threatening parts of Kiruna, leading to the decision in 2004 to relocate the old town to a new town three kilometres east.

Masterplanned by White Arkitekter and Ghilardi+Hellsten, the new town features a circular town hall designed by Scandinavian firm Henning Larsen.

At the end of its journey, Kiruna Church will be placed in its new location, situated between the cemetery and the new town centre. Other parish buildings are set to join it to form a unified setting.

Norwegian construction company Veidekke was tasked with transporting the church and bell tower, as well as constructing the relocation route and forming the foundations at the new site.

Once the building has been placed in its new setting, Veidekke will restore the relocation route and the church's original site, which will become a temporary mining town park.

Recently completed churches that have been featured on Dezeen include a woodland church in Denmark by Henning Larsen and a fluted-concrete chapel extension in Australia by Studio Bright.

The photography and film are courtesy of Moa Strålberg, Kiruna municipality, unless stated.

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