In a historic feat of engineering and heritage preservation, a massive 672-ton wooden church in northern Sweden has been successfully relocated to a new site, crawling five kilometers to escape the threat of a collapsing landscape. The two-day journey, which began on August 19, 2025, captivated thousands of onlookers, including King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, who watched as the 113-year-old landmark was put on wheels.
The iconic Kiruna Church, one of Sweden’s most beloved and largest wooden structures, was moved to make way for the expansion of the world’s largest underground iron ore mine, which is operated by the state-owned company LKAB. The decades of mining have caused ground subsidence, threatening to swallow the town and its historic buildings. The church’s relocation is a centerpiece of a larger, long-term project to move the entire town of Kiruna to a new, safer location.
To accomplish the monumental task, the church was first jacked up from its original foundations. It was then carefully placed on two trains of self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs) with a total of 224 wheels. The Dutch heavy transport company Mammoet was hired to execute the delicate operation, which required over 1,000 hours of meticulous planning and preparation. The church traveled at a cautious pace of just 500 meters per hour to ensure its structural integrity was maintained throughout the journey.
“The church is Kiruna’s soul in some way,” said Lena Tjärnberg, the vicar of the church. “It’s a day of joy, but I think people also feel sad because we have to leave this place.”
The new location for the church is situated between a cemetery and the new town center, where it will be placed on a new concrete foundation. The move marks a bittersweet moment for the town’s residents, who are sacrificing their old home for the continuation of an industry that has defined their city for over a century. The historic relocation not only safeguards a national treasure but also serves as a powerful symbol of a community in transition.
