The anniversary year offers a number of exciting events, inaugurations and festivities. Among other things, they will witness the historic move of Kiruna’s church, Esrange will launch satellites, the Kiruna Festival will fill the city with music and joy, and several sporting events will be organized.

The relocation of Kiruna Church is a world-unique event and will take place on August 19–20, 2025. The church, once voted Sweden’s most beautiful building constructed before 1950, is a church heritage site protected by the Cultural Heritage Act. It will therefore be moved in one single piece to its new location between the cemetery and the new city center in Kiruna.

The physical relocation will be livestreamed, and a range of public activities will be arranged in connection with the event.
The church is currently closed to visitors and will reopen at its new location at the end of 2026.
The relocation marks a historic moment in Kiruna’s ongoing urban transformation – a project that is drawing both national and international attention.

For two days, the Kiruna church will be moved to its new location and the public is invited to relive this historic moment through The Great Church Walk event.

To ensure a memorable experience, special points have been identified along the route of the move, where visitors will be able to follow the movement of the church live. In parallel, a rich theatre programme is planned in the Town Hall Square, where the entire move will be broadcast on a large screen. The programme on the main stage will include interviews with experts, reflections on the history and significance of the church, as well as musical performances and other entertainment. The event in the Town Hall Square will take place on both days, with preliminary times between 8 am and 5 pm. The event is open and free for visitors.

 The relocation of Kiruna's church is a unique event in world history, and the Great Church Walk is an opportunity for residents and visitors to participate together in this pivotal phase of the city's development. For generations, the church has been an important meeting place for the community. That is why now, in this great change, residents want to create new opportunities to meet.

The church's new location
The church's new location has been chosen with care, after dialogue with the municipality and county administrative board, and will be between the cemetery and the new Kiruna city center.

The ambition with the location is to achieve a similar feeling and character in relation to the stadium, reminiscent of the original location. Therefore, buildings that are moved from Björkbacken will also be placed in a way that mimics the current environment around the church and the vicarage.

Following a decision from the church council, the location of the church will be rotated 180 degrees. A common rule of thumb is that the choir with its altar should be placed facing east, but after the move, Kiruna Church belongs to the group of churches where the choir faces a different direction, pointing west. This is inspired by the traditional folk church, which, in its aim to be open and accessible to everyone, often has its entrance facing the city, the people and the congregation.

In addition, Kyrkloppet, a unique running race will be held on the occasion of the relocation of the Kiruna church, scheduled for later this year. Together with Korpen Kiruna, you will have the opportunity to experience this unique event by running on the same route as the church being relocated. Experience the wings of history with three distances to choose from: 15 km, 5 km and 700 m. Kyrkloppet offers not only a sporting challenge, but also an unforgettable experience of Kiruna's historical changes. Welcome to participate in this spectacular event and contribute to the future of Kiruna.

Three months after the Kiruna church moved to its new home, it is clear that Swedish Eurovision Song Contest winner Kaj will be one of the artists taking the stage during the event.

The church has been an important meeting place for generations, with a special place in the hearts of many. We want the move to be a beautiful memory and create new opportunities to meet. What better way than Kaj bringing the sauna to Kiruna, with the warmth, joy and community it radiates? We are very happy that they want to help make these days an unforgettable event, says Stefan Holmblad Johansson, project manager for the church move at LKAB.

Kaj will perform after the church move is complete, on 19 August. The exact time will be decided later, but during the evening Kirunabor and visitors will be able to watch the performance.

‘Arriving in Kiruna while the church is being moved is fantastic, it is an event that will remain in the history books. To be involved in all this is a memory of a lifetime. We hope that all of Kirunabor will warm up with a nice sauna, because soon we will be visible in the square in the new centre of Kiruna and then we will sing, laugh and share this moment together,’ says Kaj .

The programme spans three days, with more artists and elements being added and presented in the coming months. Everything is free of charge and no booking is necessary.

The church in Kiruna has been named the most beautiful building in Sweden and has great cultural and historical value. It will be the largest building to be moved as part of the social transformation, which began over 20 years ago and has attracted great attention worldwide.

The reason for this move is the mining activity of the LKAB iron mine, which affects the area that is now considered the historical centre of the city, where the church stands.

More info here.

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