The entire church started a two -day journey in Swedish city Kiruna

A The landmark 113-year-old church is being transferred to its entirety in risk from the ground subssence-in a 5 km (3 mi) moves with a road in the far north of Sweden.

In 1912, the huge red wooden structure in Kiruna is hoisted on spacious rolling platforms and will now initiate its move in the center of the new city.

Traveling at a maximum speed of 500 meters per hour, the journey is expected to take two days.

The Old City Center is at risk from the land fissure after more than a century of iron ore mining. The Church’s move is the most luxurious and symbolic moment of broad transfer of buildings in Kiruna, located 145 km north of the Arctic Circle.

Culture strategist Sophia Legarloff Mahata, “It is like finally, let’s complete it. We have been waiting for so many years”.

“We have prepared a lot,” in charge of this step, Project Manager Stephen Holmabad says in charge of Johansson.

“This is a historical phenomenon, a very large and complex operation and we do not have an error margin. But everything is under control.”

His composition reflects the years of the plan.

By the mid -2010s, other buildings in Kiruna were being transferred to already safe land. Most were demolished and rebuilt, but some sites were retained.

These include buildings in the Hazar Lundbohmsgaden such as the so -called yellow row of three old wooden houses and the mining manager Hazar Lundbohum, the former house of Hazar Lundbohum, which was divided into three parts.

The clock tower was also transferred to the roof of the Old City Hall and can now be found next to the New City Hall.

Under the Swedish law, mining activity cannot occur under buildings.

Robert Yeloto, CEO of Kiruna Development Company, states: “There is no risk of people falling through cracks. But Fisher will eventually damage the supply of water, electricity and sewage. People will have to move before the infrastructure fails.”

Operator of Iron Ore Mine, LKAB – is also the largest employer of Kiruna – covering the city’s rehabilitation bill, which is estimated to be more than the Swedish Chron ($ 1bn; £ 737m) over 10BN.

Kiruna Church is 35 meters (115 ft) high, 40 meters wide and weighs 672 tonnes. It was once voted for Sweden’s most beautiful East -1950 building.

Transferring such a large building is an unusual achievement. But instead of finishing it, engineers are transferred to a piece, supported by steel beams and taken on self-powered modular transporters.

Project manager Mr. Johansson says, “The biggest challenge was preparing the road for such a detailed building.”

“We have widened it to 24 meters (79 feet) and the way we have removed a bridge with lamppost, traffic lights, which was slaughtered for the demolition anyway.”

The most delicate aspects of the move have the protection of the internal treasures of the church, especially its great altar painting made by Prince Youzen, a member of the royal family of Sweden.

“This is nothing hanging on a hook that you just take off,” is called Mr. Johansson.

“It is directly affixed to a masonry wall, so it would be difficult to remove without any damage. So it will remain inside the church during the move, will be completely covered and stable. So the limb will be with its 1,000 pipes.”

This step is much higher than an engineering Marvel for local residents – this is a deep emotional moment.

Sophia Legarloff Mantate says, “The church has worked as a spiritual center and a gathering place for the community for generations.”

“This step has brought back memories of happiness and sorrow, and now we are advancing those memories with us in future.”

The feeling is also shared by Project Manager Stephen Holmabd Johansson, an engineer who is a couple as a member of the church’s gospel song.

“This is a very special job for me,” they say. “The church was built for the municipality 100 years ago by LKAB. Now we move it to the new city. There can be no other way.”

For the wicker of the church, Leena Tajarnberg, the meaning of the moment is added.

“The church is leaving a place where it really is,” she says.

“Everyone knows that it has to be moved: we live in a mining community and depend on the mine. I am thankful that we are taking the church with us to the center of the new city, but it is also sad to see that it leaves the land where it became a church.”

As the huge walls of the Kiruna Church begin to move forward, thousands of residents and visitors – King Karl Gustaf of Sweden are expected to line up the route.

Swedish television is also broadcast The entire journey lives as “slow TV”, marking a rare moment when a piece of history does not just avoid changes – it moves with it.