City

The whole town of Kiruna, situated in the North of Sweden, will soon be moved and rebuilt. Actually, the town centre is doomed to fall down a hole due to its mining activities.

 

This town of 24,000 inhabitants was extended, paradoxically, thanks to the construction of the world's largest subterranean iron mine. However today, geological forecasts say fissures are spreading faster than expected to the town.

 

There is a great chance that the mine will gobble up the city. Within a decade, the town hall, prized as Sweden's most attractive public building, is expected to slide underground. The railway station, the church, hospital, schools and surrounding buildings will disappear over the next two decades.

 

Kenneth Staalnacke, Mayor of Kiruna, hopes that the new town will not be too far away from the current one. 'This is a very complicated process that is now under way, but it does also have its benefits. We get to create a whole new town. Only our imagination sets the limits", he said.

 

More than 2 billion euros will be necessary to finance the moving of the city.

 

Further information about Kiruna on the town's website.