The relocation of the Kiruna church in Sweden has begun, just one stage in a massive project that will move thousands of people and homes to make way for an iron ore mine expansion, Reuters reports.
The historic wooden church began its journey on the 19th of August to a new location five kilometers away, in the new center of Kiruna. The church is one of the largest wooden structures in Sweden – the 113-year-old church weighs about 600 tons. The iron ore mine operator LKAB has spent a year widening the road that will take the church.
The relocation will save the church, but the historic site where it stood for more than a century will be lost. Kiruna’s vicar Lena Tjarnberg said the church is the soul of the town, and in a way a safe haven. “I’m happy about it. But I think people are also sad because we have to leave this place,” the vicar said.
For many in the local Sami community, who have herded reindeer in the area for thousands of years, the feelings are clearer. The church’s relocation is a reminder of the broader changes brought about by the mine expansion. Lars-Marcus Kuhmunen, chairman of the Gabna Sami community, said the site has traditionally been used for grazing. If the mine expansion goes ahead,
the trail that reindeer use to move from their summer pastures to their winter pastures will be destroyed,
making it impossible to maintain the reindeer herds. Kuhmunen added: “Fifty years ago, my great-grandfather said that the mine is going to eat up our way of life, our reindeer herding. And he was right.”
The wooden church is just a small part of the relocation plan. The Swedish state-owned LKAB has said that around 3,000 homes and 6,000 people will need to be relocated. Some public and commercial buildings are being demolished, while others, like the church, are being relocated. Other buildings are being dismantled and rebuilt in the new city center. Hundreds of new buildings have been built, including shops and a new city hall.
The relocation will allow LKAB, which produces 80% of Europe’s iron ore, to expand its operations in the coming decades. The planned mines contain not only iron ore but also rare earth metals, which are essential for the production of modern technology.
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