Kiruna, Sweden's Largest Municipality by Area!

Kiruna Tourist Guide

The four “Must See and Do’s” when visiting Kiruna Kiruna Church Esrange Space Center LKAB InfoMine Experience the nature.

Municipality Facts 01

Population 24 000

Area 20 000 km²

Regional Center Kiruna

County Norrbotten

More Information 02

Internet www.kiruna.se

Newspapers Norrländska Socialdemokrate Norrbottens-Kuriren www.kuriren.nu When you are here, take the opportunity to visit the world’s largest underground iron ore mine, LKAB InfoMine. Photo: LKAB Tourist Bureaus

Kiruna Lappland Tourist Bureau Welcome to Kiruna, Sweden’s The Tourist Office is open six days a week, all year round and from June to largest Municipality by Area! August, seven days a week. Folkets hus, Lars Janssonsgatan 17, From late May to mid-July you can experience walk through the roadless land or fish in one Kiruna the unique midnight sun, there are 50 days of of the world’s best fishing waters. There are +46 980–188 80 light without darkness. Bring your family and more than 6,000 lakes and six pristine rivers [email protected] try gold panning, see the cute sled dogs, ride offerng excitement and challenges from early www.lappland.se Icelandic horses, fish, crawl in caves, or play spring to late autumn. golf. After a full day of activities, you can relax at one of the nearby restaurants and have a Anyone who wants to can climb Kebnekaise, Notes 03 culinary experience of real Lappish cuisine. Sweden’s highest mountain. If it is to high, then Swedenäs highest mountain station, Emergency 112 Kiruna is a place filled with unique opportunities Låktatjåkko (1228 m), is another option. You Police 114 14 to experience and adventure, it is sometimes can choose to hike along Kungsleden (The Country Code +46 called the last wilderness. As a visitor, King’s Trail) for days or weeks, or maybe Area Code 0980 you’ll experience the magnificent scenery you’d rather take a half day trip to Kärkevagge everywhere, so take the opportunity to take a and see the fantastic Lake Trollsjön!

See and Do

Don’t miss some of the wonders in Central Kiruna: visit the world’s largest underground iron ore mine, LKAB InfoMine; visit Hjalmar Lundbohmsgården and learn more about the man who founded the city, do not forget the country’s most beautiful building of all time, the Kiruna church. The City Hall, with its strange bell tower and an extensive art collection, is also well worth a visit.

Just outside central Kiruna you will find Jukkasjärvi, where you can find Lapland’s oldest wooden from 1607, and you can meet Sami’s and reindeer at Nuttis Sami camp. The Icehotel is also based here.

You can also take a guided tour of Esrange, Europe’s only civilian space port, which is located 45 kilometers from the center of Kiruna. If you want to see moose up close go to Vittangi Moose Park, 70 km from Kiruna, and from there it’s just an hour’s drive up to Karesuando and Treriksröset. Whatever you choose to do in Kiruna, there is plenty of room! City About the City The huge iron ore deposits at Kiruna were Kärkevagge (Stone Valley). Photo: Thomas Lahtinen known already in the 1600s, but it was not until the late 1800s that it began producing iron ore on a large scale. With mining and in 1963 and was named Sweden’s most also has an interesting treasure of pictures. the construction of the railway line between beautiful public building the following year. Luleå and Narvik, the city of Kiruna was Today, the City Hall is considered a classic born. Plans for the city were approved by of Swedish architecture. The church and the Oscar II in 1900, but the first real building Town Hall has a unique outer appearance. Other was built in 1890. The Town Hall also houses the municipalities www.bokatag.se extensive art collection. www.sas.se The city is character is not only the nature www.norwegian.se but also the two mining mountains, Kiruna also has several residential Luossavaara and Kiirunavaara, located on neighborhoods of architectural interest: for How can you get to Kiruna? each side of the city. Kiruna city also marked example, Kvarteret Ortdrivaren by Ralph the first manager of mining and also the Erskine; Upper Thule area, decorated by You could probably bicycle the 1300 city’s founder, Hjalmar Lundbohm. He took Pierre Olofsson; the industrial area with kilometers from Stockholm, but this gives it upon himself to make it a model of the city its wooden houses, designed by Gustav you good reason to look at other options. SJ and focused on the culture and architecture. Wickman. Kiruna’s emergence from the and Veolia have trains to Kiruna. The train beginning of the last century has been from Stockholm to Kiruna, takes about 17 Anyone who wants to see art and architecture thoroughly documented photographically, hours. Flying is a bit faster of course, and will be richly rewarded in Kiruna. Here is one especially by the photographer Borg both SAS and Norwegian fly from Arlanda of Sweden’s most popular buildings, the Mesch. Much of his pictures are on display Airport. It is also excellent to drive to Kiruna Kiruna Church. A wooden church in Falun at Hjalmar Lundbohmsgården, which is with well maintained roads and beautiful red paint and opened in 1912. The architect, also one of the oldest buildings in Kiruna scenery along the way. There are many Gustav Wickman, used a Sami tepee for a and where the mine manager, Hjalmar interesting places to rest at on the way! model. Here is the Town Hall, which opened Lundbohm lived. The Municipality’s archive www.sj.se

Eurotourism Media Group AB: Box 55157 504 04 Borås Sweden Tel +46 33-233220 Fax +46 33-233222 [email protected] 2 Copyright © 2010 Eurotourism Media Group AB Protected by international law; any violation will be prosecuted. An Independent Tourist Information Company Tourist Guide Kiruna

See and Do

The world’s northernmost outdoor swimming pool. Photo: Camp Ripan

Lapporten (Mountain) and Malmbanan (The Ore Rail). Photo: Thomas Lahtinen The Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi. Photo: Kiruna Lappland

Summer at the ICEHOTEL Arena small and large groups to make reservations Swimming for dinners, conferences, etc. Outdoor Swimming Visit the Ice Factory! Come inside where the Icehotel is produced, the Ice Factory, where LKAB InfoMine Summer at Tvättjärnsbadet: take a dip in next winter’s Icehotel lurks in the form of The bus goes directly from the tourist the world’s northernmost outdoor swimming thousands of crystal clear ice blocks. Ddaily office straight into the mountain and pool! If you dare, take a down the water guided tours for you as guests during the down 540-meters to view the mine LKAB slide, “Fjälljokken”. It is located at Ripan summer. This is a fascinating journey InfoMine. Tour guides assist you through an Camping. For information contact Ripan through the story of the Icehotel. We must authentic mining environment where there Camping. also mention there are many activities are exhibitions, slide shows and multimedia +46 980-630 00 during the summer. Don’t forget the Icehotel about mining and the manufacturing of iron www.ripan.se then opens its doors for guests in early and steel. The Mining Museum tells of the December every year, and stays open until mine’s 100-year history, and the mining the sun begins to claim the ice and snow in techniques developed over the years. An Family Activities late April. experience not to be missed! Reservations +46 980- 668 00 and information at the Kiruna Lappland There is plentyfor the family in and around www.icehotel.com Tourist Office. Kiruna! Kiruna Lappland, in conjunction with +46 980-188 80 Destination Narvik, again offer this summer, www.lappland.se “CHILD FREE ENTRY”. Participating Museum companies offer children up to 15 years, Hjalmar Lundbohmsgården free accommodation, food and activities Nature (with an adult). We want to make our The first LKAB Manager’s Official Kiruna Mountains northernmost region vacations accessible Residence. One of Kiruna’s oldest buildings, to everyone, especially families. For more now includes a museum and cafe. Take a The mountains are very near in Kiruna - one information, visit or call the Kiruna Lappland guided tour that goes back 100 years in can quickly out and up in the mountains, Tourist Office. time, get to know the “King of Lapland” and most easily by car, bus or train along one +46 980-188 80 see the interesting photographic exhibition of the grandiose routes. Most cities are www.lappland.se by Borg Mesch. There are opportunities for near, however, you can actually walk to

See and Do

Nikkaluokta. Photo: Kiruna Lappland

Luossavaara from the center of Kiruna. with pleasant café on a large veranda. If we actually have the northern lights year- You have both open spaces and views, and your out in the evening, you can enjoy the round and round the clock, regardless of the best views are of the midnight sun. By wonders of the midnight sun. temperature and weather. However, there is either car or bus, you can go West towards no guarantee of seeing the northern lights, Nikkaluokta or to Abisko, Björkliden and From both Abisko and Björkliden, like which can be anything from a minute to Riksgränsen in the northwest, which also Riksgränsen, one can do short or long day several hours. So if you’re in Kiruna during can be reached by train. These locations are trips. To take part in the Kiruna Mountains is the winter, it is not a sure bet that you will also suitable for half-or full-day excursions. not so complicated, quite the opposite, it is see them, but if you do manage to see the very easy to take home a once in a lifetime northern lights, you will be richly rewarded! Nikkaluokta is the gateway to the mightiest mountain experience. mountain area in Sweden and Kebnekaise, Winter in Kiruna Municipality Sweden’s highest mountain. Here, meets The Northern Lights Summer is wonderful, but so is the winter! three valleys and Nikkaluokta is the starting (Aurora Borealis) Kiruna has a very long winter season, which point for many hikers. You can take day trips There is something very special about runs from October until midsummer! Already on foot or rent canoes and paddle up into winter in Kiruna, or rather, from late August in October, ski teams travel to Kiruna and the beautiful Vistas valley. to late April, is the ability to see the Northern Camp Ripan to ski on real tracks, and Lights! This mythical, almost magical light is in Riksgränsen is snow remains until From Nikkaluokta, you can reach a wonderful experience! Green, blue, purple midsummer! Kiruna can offer dogsledding, Kungsleden, a classic Swedish trail which and red explodes in a bright cavalcade of snowmobile tours, skiing, moose, ice also starts in Abisko. Upon your arrival in colors and sweeps like veils over the sky. climbing, ice fishing, tours on Icelandic Abisko, you can enjoy and admire Lapporten. horses, and of course enjoying a stroll in the The Sami name is “Tjuonavagge” and But what exactly do we see? Charged snow and sun. means “fjällåsdalen” (mountain valley). The particles and plasma are hurled from the valley is 2 km wide and extends between sun into space. This is called the solar In Abisko National Park starts Kungsleden the tops of Tjuonatjåkka and Nissuntjårro. wind. Solar wind collides with atoms in the which is about a 450-km-long summer and Earth’s atmosphere, as it follows the Earth’s winter trail that finds its way through the To the Northwest are mountain villages, magnetic field - especially at the poles. The Swedish mountains. For those of you who like a band of pearls, one after each other release of energy is in the form of light - the do not want to ski a good tip is to take a trip along the railway which was built at the turn polar light. by cable car up to Nuolja. Enjoy the serenity of the century - and road E10. In Abisko, a and the view over Tornetrask and Lapporten. convenient way to go up Nuolja Mountain is Precisely, it is Kiruna’s proximity to the North From September to March, the Aurora Sky by cable car. The view is magnificent, and Pole which makes the area the best place to Station offers chances to experience the the lift station at the top has been rebuilt see the northern lights. In turn, means that northern lights in the mountains.

Eurotourism Media Group AB: Box 55157 504 04 Borås Sweden Tel +46 33-233220 Fax +46 33-233222 [email protected] 4 Copyright © 2010 Eurotourism Media Group AB Protected by international law; any violation will be prosecuted. An Independent Tourist Information Company Tourist Guide Kiruna

See and Do

Esrange Space Center. Photo: Thomas Lahtinen

Even in Björkliden, you will find a magnificent the nights. Distances are 30, 50 and 70 Markets & Festivals view of the mountains and Tornetrask. From kilometers. - Jukkasjärvi Market and here you can go on a tour or have take the www.bamm.nu Local History Celebration! trail up to Låktatjåkko Mountain Station or visit the mysterious caves. At the Norwegian Fjällräven Classic - Sweden’s The first weekend in August is the border, you will find Riksgränsen, Sweden’s first outdoor classics! Jukkasjärvi Market and Local History most snowy place. Here, the slopes are Fjällräven Classic, mid-August, Sweden’s Celebration! The celebration of Jukkasjärvi open until midsummer. Lifts are situated first outdoor classics! Fjällräven Classic 400 years of celebrations in Jukkasjärvi and close to the hotel and you can choose is the world’s only mountain trekking lasts all weekend. between 34 different runs. race in one of the world’s most beautiful www.jukkasjarvi400.com environments - Kungsleden. The race is It is possible to ski from Abisko to for both young and old, people who like to Markets & Festivals Kebnekaise Mountain Station which takes speed through life, experienced mountain - Kiruna Festival about seven days. But, you can also get foxes and curious beginners. The first weekend after Midsummer we there from Nikkaluokta, located at the end www2.fjallraven.com/classic celebrate the Kiruna Festival! Many artists of the road, 66 km from Kiruna. There is a come to Kiruna during the midnight sun, fine Sami chapel and a tourist center with Låktastörten (Ski Competition) The Hives, Petter, Sahara Hotnights, Dag restaurants, shops and occommodations. Låktastörten in early May: the classic ski Vag, Håkan Hellström, Björn Gustafsson, There are also opportunities for transport by race with very simple rules: first down from Adam Tensta and Sven-Ingvar, and others. helicopter, snowmobile or all terrain carrier, Låktatjåkko Mountain Station to Björkliden www.kirunafestivalen.com depending on the season. wins! Christer Majbäck record is around 14 minutes, but for those who want to experience a bit more, it is okay to even Other take it a bit easier than that. BAMM (Björkliden Arctic www.bjorkliden.com Mountain Marathon) Markets & Festivals SOURCES Kiruna Lappland Turistbyrå BAMM, mid-August: Björkliden Arctic The Snow Festival in late January: Kiruna www.kommunernaskalender.com Mountain Marathon. There are two phases is completely snowed in for three days with www.eurotourism.com and two people must choose the best path snow sculpture exhibitions, Ark Exhibition, www.dagspress.se through the mountain terrain and carry snowmobile shows and much more! Subject to change equipment and tents to sleep in during www.snowfestival.se

Eurotourism Media Group AB: Box 55157 504 04 Borås Sweden Tel +46 33-233220 Fax +46 33-233222 [email protected] Copyright © 2010 Eurotourism Media Group AB Protected by international law; any violation will be prosecuted. 5 An Independent Tourist Information Company Eurotourism Media Group AB: Box 55157 504 04 Borås Sweden Tel +46 33-233220 Fax +46 33-233222 [email protected] 6 Copyright © 2010 Eurotourism Media Group AB Protected by international law; any violation will be prosecuted. An Independent Tourist Information Company