Kiruna
An Arctic iron ore city moving itself three kilometres east, because the mine is undermining the ground it stands on.
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Kiruna exists because of the ore body under Kiirunavaara, worked since 1900 and now mined to well over a kilometre deep, and the deformation that follows the ore downward has been advancing under the town for years. The decision taken was to move the city rather than close the mine: a new centre opened in 2022 about three kilometres east, and selected buildings have been transported whole, among them the wooden church of 1912 - a large dark timber building modelled on a Sami kata, voted the country's finest building in a poll in the early 2000s - which was moved in 2025. Mine tours run into the underground visitor level.
What you actually see
- A city being relocated - the new centre opened in 2022.
- The wooden church of 1912 - built on a kata form, moved in 2025.
- The mine under the town - worked over a kilometre deep.
- Underground mine tours - into the visitor level.
When to go
June to August for light, or midwinter for snow and aurora. A full day.
Honest expectations
The old centre is being demolished in stages, so what stands changes year to year. Mine tours book out and go only to a set level. Winter is dark and severely cold. Accommodation is expensive in season.
Nearby
Abisko is west; Jukkasjarvi and the ice hotel are east.
What to pack for Kiruna
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
