Folks take a look at picket Kiruna Church at its closing location after a two-day transfer from the outdated city to the brand new metropolis heart, in Kiruna, northern Sweden, on August 20.
Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
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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 think it’s the largest wood building in Sweden,” stated Vicar Lena Tjärnberg of the Kiruna Church. “It’s like you’re going into a boat. That’s the same feeling. But it’s a very big boat.”
The large, crimson timber church, with its sharp peaks and triangular types, is the most recent constructing to trundle its method from the outdated city heart to stop the native iron ore mine from swallowing it up.
“The mine is very important for us here in Kiruna. We are a mine town. If you don’t have a mine, you don’t have the city,” Tjärnberg stated. “And the mine is coming closer and the ground is getting cracks.”
On Tuesday, the 600-ton church was gently lifted onto two vans and slowly rolled away.
“They have like two trucks with a lot of wheels.” Tjärnberg stated. “I think it’s like 130 wheels.”
She stated two engineers sat contained in the church because it moved, listening for potential cracks.
Kiruna is Sweden’s northernmost metropolis. Relocating a lot of Kiruna’s buildings is predicted to take one other 10 years. Tjärnberg stated tearing down the church to construct a brand new one simply wasn’t an possibility due to its significance to the group.
“They have grown up in the church, they have played out in the park around the church. They have been like a home for people, and I think that’s Kiruna’s soul in some way,” Tjärnberg stated.
For Tjärnberg, the transfer is bittersweet.
“I’m a little worried about the church too. It’s going to feel different when I open the church door and it’s not in the same place because we have loved this place,” she stated. “It’s like the skyline of Kiruna. Everywhere you’re in Kiruna, you can see the church. Or you saw the church because it’s on the move now.”
Till now, she might see the church from her kitchen window.
“For nine years I have said good morning and good night to the church,” she stated. “And when I came back today to my home and if it looked out, it’s a construction site I look at.”
However she sees extra alternative now.
“Every change, you can do something good with it,” Tjärnberg stated. “We are going to do something good.”
The vicar hopes to reopen the church by Christmas subsequent 12 months.
