Sweden is transferring the 113-year-old Kiruna Church to reserve it : NPR

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Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP by way of Getty Photographs A 113-year-old church in Sweden arrived at its new house Wednesday after a two-day, three mile journey throughout the town of Kiruna.

"I believe it is the most important wooden constructing in Sweden," mentioned Vicar Lena Tjärnberg of the Kiruna Church. "It is such as you're going into a ship. That is the identical feeling. Nevertheless it's a really huge boat."

<source srcset="https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2023/07/13/img_1543_sq-f2f6ab3d3240e7cab0981f4538404b56eda0d4ca.jpg?s=100&c=85&f=jpeg" data-original="https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2023/07/13/img_1543_sq-f2f6ab3d3240e7cab0981f4538404b56eda0d4ca.jpg?s=100&c=100&f=jpeg" data-template="https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2023/07/13/img_1543_sq-f2f6ab3d3240e7cab0981f4538404b56eda0d4ca.jpg?s={width}&c={quality}&f={format}" data-format="webp" class="img lazyOnLoad" type="image/webp"/><source srcset="https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2023/07/13/img_1543_sq-f2f6ab3d3240e7cab0981f4538404b56eda0d4ca.jpg?s=100&c=85&f=jpeg" data-original="https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2023/07/13/img_1543_sq-f2f6ab3d3240e7cab0981f4538404b56eda0d4ca.jpg?s=100&c=100&f=jpeg" data-template="https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2023/07/13/img_1543_sq-f2f6ab3d3240e7cab0981f4538404b56eda0d4ca.jpg?s={width}&c={quality}&f={format}" data-format="jpeg" class="img lazyOnLoad" type="image/jpeg"/><img src="https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2023/07/13/img_1543_sq-f2f6ab3d3240e7cab0981f4538404b56eda0d4ca.jpg?s=100&c=100&f=jpeg" data-template="https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2023/07/13/img_1543_sq-f2f6ab3d3240e7cab0981f4538404b56eda0d4ca.jpg?s={width}&c={quality}&f={format}" data-format="jpeg" class="img lazyOnLoad" alt="It's a journey to the center of the rare earths discovered in Sweden" loading="lazy"/> The massive, pink timber church, with its sharp peaks and triangular kinds, is the newest constructing to trundle its means from the outdated city middle to forestall the native iron ore mine from swallowing it up.

"The mine is essential for us right here in Kiruna. We're a mine city. If you do not have a mine, you do not have the town," Tjärnberg mentioned. "And the mine is coming nearer and the bottom is getting cracks."

On Tuesday, the 600-ton church was gently lifted onto two vehicles and slowly rolled away.

"They've like two vehicles with a whole lot of wheels." Tjärnberg mentioned. "I believe it is like 130 wheels."

She mentioned two engineers sat contained in the church because it moved, listening for potential cracks.

Kiruna is Sweden's northernmost metropolis. Relocating lots of Kiruna's buildings is predicted to take one other 10 years. Tjärnberg mentioned tearing down the church to construct a brand new one simply wasn't an choice due to its significance to the group.

"They've grown up within the church, they've performed out within the park across the church. They've been like a house for folks, and I believe that is Kiruna's soul not directly," Tjärnberg mentioned.

For Tjärnberg, the transfer is bittersweet.

"I am just a little frightened in regards to the church too. It is going to really feel totally different after I open the church door and it isn't in the identical place as a result of we have now liked this place," she mentioned. "It is just like the skyline of Kiruna. All over the place you are in Kiruna, you may see the church. Otherwise you noticed the church as a result of it is on the transfer now."

Till now, she may see the church from her kitchen window.

"For 9 years I've mentioned good morning and good evening to the church," she mentioned. "And after I got here again in the present day to my house and if it seemed out, it is a development web site I have a look at."