An Entire City Is Being Moved to Escape Collapse
After 135 years of mining iron ore, the Swedish city Kiruna is at risk of collapsing. Mining has hallowed out the ground beneath the city, posing a serious threat to its citizens.
Every day, 70 000-85 000 ton of iron ore are extracted in Kiruna – an amount sufficient to build six Eiffel Towers. Mining on such a large scale carries the risk of ground fissures, making it impossible for the city to remain where it is.
The solution to save Kiruna is to relocate the city in its entirety. Landmarks and buildings are being moved intact to preserve and rebuild the city center five kilometers east of its origin. The relocation comes with a price tag of one billion US dollars.
The 113-year-old church was moved after receiving the bishop’s blessing. Once blessed, the church was carefully lifted onto multiple trailers, creaking under the weight. Traveling at a maximum speed of 500 meters per hour, the journey took two days.
Although Kiruna lies far to the north, 145 kilometres above the Arctic Circle, the move attracted a large audience. Even foreigners came to watch history happen before their eyes. One bystander said it was impressive to see the church being moved in its entirety rather than in parts.