Page 278 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sweden

276  SWEDEN AREA B Y AREA

mine causing dangerous ICEHOTEL also offers summer
subsidence, both Kiruna and activities such as whitewater
the town of Malmberget are rafting, cross-country cycling,
gradually being moved to a fishing and ice-sculpting.
safer location. Kiruna’s vast mountain
landscape is traversed by the
Environs Kungsleden trail (see p278).
The space centre Esrange,
40 km (25 miles) east of Kiruna E LKAB Visitor Centre
has, since the first rocket was Tel 0980-188 80 for bookings.
launched in 1966, been a Open daily. & 8
vital link in the European ∑ kirunalapland.se
space programme. P ICEHOTEL Jukkasjärvi
The former Sami village of 17 km (10 miles) E of Kiruna. @ from
Strikingly shaped church in Kiruna, inspired Jukkasjärvi, 17 km (11 miles) Kiruna. Tel 0980-668 00. Open Dec–
by a Sami hut east of Kiruna, has Lappland’s Apr & Jun–Aug. & 8 0 =
oldest church, dating from see also Where to Stay p289.
e Kiruna 1607. It houses Bror Hjorth’s
altar-screen in wood depicting
Lappland. E10. * 19,000. £ @ ~ r Gällivare
n Kiruna Lapland Tourist Office, the charismatic 19th-century
Folkets Hus, Lars Janssonsgatan 17, preacher Lars Levi Laestadius’ Lappland. E10. * 8,500. ~ £ @
0980-188 80. _ Snow Festival (last missionary work among the n Storgatan 16, 0970-166 60.
week in Jan), Kiruna Festival (4th Sami and Swedish pioneers. _ Winter Market (mid-Mar), Laponia
weekend in Jun). ∑ kirunalapland.se Jukkasjärvi Festival (1st weekend in Jul).
is renowned ∑ gellivarelapland.se
In terms of area, Kiruna is one of for ICEHOTEL,
the world’s largest municipalities. first created in The twin commu n-
It is the site of Sweden’s highest 1989. In mid- ities of Gällivare
mountain, Kebnekaise, 2,014 m November each and Malmberget
(6,607 ft), from where, on a clear year, a team grew rapidly
day, one can see one-eleventh of builders from the late-
of the country. For 50 days in constructs a 19th century
summer the sun never sets, and hotel with ice as the mining
for 20 winter days it never rises. blocks and Altar-screen by Bror Hjorth, industry devel-
But even in the dark and cold, snow. Drinks are Jukkasjärvi church oped. But there
the people make the best of served in the cool was a settlement
things. In January they hold a Icebar and guests sleep here long before that time: a
snow festival with exciting on ice beds, wrapped in furs, chapel was built for the Sami in
activities such as a scooter jump even though it is -40°C outside. the 17th century and the Sami
show, kick-sled racing and As spring arrives, the structure church on the Vassaraälven
reindeer racing. Kiruna is also slowly thaws. The ICEHOTEL river opened in 1751. The
one of the best places in the has announced plans to build arrival of the railway in 1888
world to see the Northern Lights. a hotel, with a bar, art gallery sparked an iron ore rush which
Kiruna’s development is due and suites, that will offer guests can be relived at Kåkstan in
largely to the local iron ore a permanent sub-zero ice expe- Malmberget and experienced
deposits. In 1899 the first ore rience year-round. This solar from 1,000 m (3,280 ft) down in
train rolled out from the mine powered project is expected the LKAB iron ore mine. LKAB’s
on the newly laid railway line to open in December 2016. Gruvmuseum focuses on
to Luleå. Ten years later, Kiruna
had grown to a town of 7,000
inhabitants. Older buildings
include the church, a gift of the
mining company LKAB in 1912,
whose shape was inspired by a
Sami hut, and which is richly
decorated by artists of the time,
including Prince Eugen, Christian
Eriksson and Ossian Elgström.
The Kirunavaara mine is open
for guided tours. LKAB Visitor
Centre lies 540 m (1,772 ft)
below ground and paints a vivid
picture of mining in the region.
With work in the Kirunavaara Icebar in the ICEHOTEL, Jukkasjärvi, a creation of ice and snow
Autumn in the Rapa Valley, in Sarek National Park, Lapland

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.1)
Date 5th December 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm