Entire church begins two-day journey across Swedish city

In Kiruna, a city in northern Sweden, a remarkable event is taking place: the entire historic church is being moved to a new location. This church, built in 1912, is 113 years old and made of red timber. It is a well-known landmark in Kiruna, but the ground beneath it has become unsafe due to more than a century of iron ore mining. The mining has caused cracks and fissures in the earth, making it risky for buildings to stay in the old city center. To protect the church and the community, the decision was made to relocate the church in one piece, rather than taking it apart.

The move is a huge engineering challenge. The church is being lifted onto giant trailers and will travel 5 kilometers to the new city center. The journey is slow, with the church moving at a maximum speed of 500 meters per hour, and it is expected to take two days. Before the move began, there was a blessing ceremony led by the church's vicar, Lena Tjärnberg, and Bishop Åsa Nyström. As the engines started, the massive wooden church began to inch forward, moving only 30 meters in the first hour. Large crowds gathered to watch, with people coming from Kiruna and other parts of Sweden. Many took photos and videos, and some said it felt like they could almost touch the church as it passed by. Culture strategist Sofia Lagerlöf Mättää described the event as 'history taking place in front of our eyes. '

The project manager, Stefan Holmblad Johansson, explained that the move is a historic and complex operation with no room for mistakes. Other buildings in Kiruna have already been moved or rebuilt because of the ground problems, but the church is the most symbolic and spectacular. The mining company LKAB, which is also Kiruna's largest employer, is paying for the city's relocation, which costs more than 10 billion Swedish krona. The church is 35 meters high, 40 meters wide, and weighs 672 tonnes. Engineers are using steel beams and self-propelled modular transporters to move it. The road had to be widened to 24 meters, and things like lamp-posts, traffic lights, and even a bridge were removed to make way for the church.

For many residents, the move is emotional. Lena Edkvist, who traveled from Gothenburg, said that even though she is not very religious, the church is part of her tradition and culture. She is glad the church is being moved intact instead of being taken apart. Inside the church, special treasures like the altar painting by Prince Eugen and the organ with 1,000 pipes are being carefully protected during the move. Sofia Lagerlöf Määttä, who remembers visiting the church as a child, said the move brings back memories of both joy and sorrow, and that the community is taking those memories with them into the future. Project manager Stefan Holmblad Johansson, who is also a member of the church's gospel choir, said the task is very special to him. Vicar Lena Tjärnberg said she feels both grateful and sad, as the church is leaving the place where it truly belongs but is moving to a new home where it will continue to serve the community. If all goes well, the church will arrive at its new location by Wednesday evening, and the entire journey is being broadcast as 'slow TV,' allowing people to witness this unique moment in history.