Historic Swedish Church Relocated to Make Way for Mine Expansion
In a remarkable feat of engineering, the 113-year-old Kiruna Kyrka, an iconic wooden church in the Arctic town of Kiruna, Sweden, has begun a slow, 5km relocation to prevent it from being swallowed by the expansion of Europe's largest underground iron-ore mine. The church's move, which began with great fanfare on Tuesday, is part of a 30-year project to relocate about 3,000 homes in the city due to the undermining effects of the mine's expansion.
The Backdrop
The relocation of Kiruna's town centre, including the church, has been in the works since 2004. As reported by the South China Morning Post, as the LKAB iron ore mine expanded deeper underground to a new depth of 1,365 metres (4,478 feet), residents began noticing cracks in buildings and roads. The project, which has an estimated cost of 500 million kronor (£39m), was developed to prevent further damage to the city's infrastructure.
The 'Big Church Move'
The 672-tonne Kiruna Kyrka, a Swedish Lutheran church inaugurated in 1912, began its slow-motion journey on Tuesday. As detailed by The Guardian, the church is to be slowly rolled to its new home over two days, at a pace of half-a-kilometer an hour. The church, one of Sweden's most beautiful buildings, was placed on a convoy of giant, remote-controlled flatbed trailers, with wheels for the transportation, as reported by Deutsche Welle and Corriere della Sera.
Implications of the Move
The relocation is seen as a necessary measure to combat the subsidence risk posed by the mine's expansion. According to Al Jazeera English, the move is part of a broader 30-year project to shift around 3,000 homes in the city.
The New York Times notes that mining in Kiruna has jeopardized the ground below the beloved church, making this relocation a crucial step in preserving the historic building. Sky News World adds that the move is intended to prevent the church, one of Sweden's most famous wooden churches, from being swallowed by the world's largest underground iron-ore mine.
The Current Status
As of now, the historic red wooden church is slowly making its way across the city on giant rolling platforms, as reported by BBC News. The unprecedented move is a critical step in ensuring the longevity of the historic building while allowing for the expansion of the vital iron ore mine.