Kiruna is the northernmost town in Sweden, situated in the province of Lapland in Norrbotten County. Inhabitants – about 20 000.
Esrange Space Center was established in Kiruna in the 1960s, and they also have the Institute of Space Physics.
The re-development of Kiruna is a reconstruction project, as the Kirunavaara mine, run by LKAB, undermines the current town center. Several buildings, including Sweden´s most beautiful church and the famous Town Hall, are to be moved or demolished. The whole town center is to be moved 3 kilometers to the east.
The ground deformations became apparent in 2003, and the redevelopment started in 2007. The moving of the town was started in 2014 and is expected to be finished by 2100. According to the plan, there will be a denser city centre with a greater focus on sustainability, green and blue infrastructure, pedestrians and public transport rather than automobiles.
Walking the empty streets at night, the snowy silence is almost visible, touchable, embedding you in cotton cold. I wonder how the people here really feel…knowing most of them will have to leave their homes and their familiar surroundings for something they have not chosen themselves. A great piece of history will be lost, and I guess a piece of Lapland´s soul as well.
Leya 
Moving a town … how can it come to that???? But I suppose the need the jobs that comes with it too in LKAB, but I’m glad that they do …
Never been to Kiruna. I have been to Gällivare.
I like your sentence; the snowy silence is almost visible – so pretty.
Thanks! But if they do not move it…the houses will fall down into the mine. This has already started…
Yes, I understand that … but can’t they dig in the other direction. *laughing.
Haha!
Beautiful white snow but … so dark during many months …
Yes, so dark…but in summer so much light!
Lovely photos. So peaceful. And so sad that buildings will be lost.
Sad it is – but at least people know some years ahead.
Lovely photos, Ann Christine. It won’t be an easy thing for those residents to have to move.
No, not easy…I think you are right there. I would have been very unhappy about it.
Magiska vinterbilder.
Tack. Sorgesamt också bara.
How beautiful and haunting… I don’t know if I could leave such a place. xx
No, me neither…
Beautiful!
Thank you, Cindy. And sad…
Hi Ann-Christine– How sad for a beautiful town. It looks so serene.
Jane, I am very fond of this town…beautiful in summer as well. A sad story.
I love the photo of the townhall.
To think it is to be torn down…terrible.
What unusual and sad story! But your photos, I can feel the peace and hear the snow-wrapped quiet and it’s lovely.
janet
Love it that you can feel it too. It was very quiet and easy to let my thoughts flow…a beautiful night.
🙂 Oh, my, it looks so pretty!
Sleep well 🙂
😀 You too