Sweden has begun relocating the 113-year-old Kiruna Church, one of its most famous wooden buildings, as a mining company prepares to expand operations in the town. The church is being moved about 5 kilometers down the road to make way for a new city center. The move comes after decades-long efforts to relocate the historic town due to mining weakening the ground beneath it.
The church, weighing over 672 tons, was lifted onto remote-controlled flatbed trailers and will be transported at a pace of half-a-kilometer an hour. The relocation is expected to take two days and has drawn attention from Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf and broadcaster SVT, which will stream the event live.
The move is part of a larger project to relocate the town’s historic center due to mining expansion. The church’s design incorporates elements inspired by the region’s indigenous Sami people, and its relocation is seen as an awe-inspiring feat of engineering.
However, not everyone is celebrating the move. The Sami community, which has herded reindeer in the area for thousands of years, fears that the mine’s expansion will imperil traditional migration routes and threaten their livelihoods. Around 3,000 homes and 6,000 people will need to relocate as part of the project.
The relocation is estimated to cost around €45 million ($52 million), with funding provided by mine operator LKAB. The church’s vicar, Lena Tjarnberg, described the move as a “day of joy” but also acknowledged concerns about leaving behind their cultural heritage.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/sweden-moves-landmark-kiruna-church-to-new-site/a-73687576