Mammoet, the Dutch heavylift and special transport company has completed the relocation of the iconic Kiruna Church, regarded as one of Sweden鈥檚 most treasured architectural landmarks.
More than 1,000 hours of planning went into the operation, which took place over two days.
Built in the early 20th century and once voted Sweden鈥檚 most beautiful building, Kiruna Church is one of the country鈥檚 largest wooden structures. It had to be moved (or demolished) due to the expansion of Kiruna鈥檚 mine, which required several buildings to be moved to a newly developed city centre 5km away.
The Kiruna mine is the world's largest underground iron ore mine. It is owned and operated by LKAB 鈥� Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara Aktiebolag 鈥撀� the Swedish state-owned mining company.
Mammoet was commissioned by LKAB and its civil engineering contractor Veidekke to transport the 713-tonne wooden church in one piece. The move, dubbed 鈥淭he Great Church Walk,鈥� drew thousands of spectators, including the King of Sweden.
Mammoet worked with Veidekke and Swedish wood engineering specialists to model and test the building鈥檚 response to lifting and transport. The operation was timed for August to avoid adverse weather conditions that could jeopardize the move.
The church was jacked up to a height of 1.3 metres and placed on steel beams supported by two trains of 28 axle lines of self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs). Mammoet鈥檚 custom monitoring system ensured the structure remained stable throughout the journey, allowing for a maximum tilt of just 75 mm between sides.
Route preparations included temporary road widening and compacting work, with testing using SPMTs loaded with counterweights to simulate the church鈥檚 axle load.
The relocation took place during daylight hours on 19th and 20th August 2025, with the church arriving safely at its new location. Once in place, the SPMTs lowered the structure onto its new concrete foundations.
In the coming days, Mammoet will also relocate the church鈥檚 90-tonne belfry using a different SPMT configuration.
鈥淭his project exemplifies the importance of detailed engineering and planning in executing unique and meaningful moves,鈥� said Mammoet project manager William Soeters. 鈥淲e鈥檙e proud to have played a key role in safeguarding this historic building for future generations.鈥�
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