Historic Kiruna Church in Sweden begins five-kilometre relocation

A Sami style wooden Swedish Lutheran church, called Kiruna Kyrka in Swedish, in Kiruna, Sweden, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025,   -  
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AP Photo/Malin Haarala

Built in 1912, the 672-tonne neo-Gothic church was voted Sweden’s “best building of all time, built before 1950” in a 2001 national poll.

Its relocation is part of a wider plan to move Kiruna, Sweden’s northernmost town, threatened by the expansion of the world’s largest underground iron-ore mine.

The relocation of Kiruna's town centre, including the church, has been underway since 2004.

The church is expected to reopen at its new location in 2026.

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