A town of the far north, Kiruna was founded at the start of the twentieth century within the Arctic Circle - as a mining town to work the rich deposits of iron ore in the area. 

Although now considerably developed, the town still has many reminders of its past as a mining centre, and visitors can even go on guided tours of an exhausted mine. Located on the shore of Lake Luossa, the town is one of the few places with a substantial population of native Samis, and is popular as a tourist destination largely because of their culture. Native Lapps, the Sami have managed to retain much of their traditional way of life, and a lot of it is on display throughout the town, in museums and galleries, and even in the main church. The main church in Kiruna, the Kirunakyrka is one of the most interesting churches in Sweden, and is appropriately shaped like a Sami hut.

The main museum in the town is the Kiruna Samigård; it has a good collection of Sami crafts and artefacts, besides a small shop where traditional Sami craft material- rope, antler bones and reindeer skin- can be bought.

Other sights worth visiting in town include the Hjalmar Lundbohmsgården - a tribute to the man who `founded’ Kiruna- the building was once the home of the MD of LKAB, the iron-ore company which virtually made Kiruna what it is; and the local town hall, the Rådhus. The Rådhus, like many of Kiruna’s other buildings, has ironwork incorporated in its design- in this case, a pillar with latticework, surmounted by a large clock. Inside are displays of local art and Sami crafts.

The most convenient way to get to Kiruna is by train, or you can make the trip by road- bus or car. Once in town, head for the tourist office at Folkets Hus, Lars Jansonggatan 17, where you can get quite a bit of help and information. The local youth hostel is fairly economical, although the cabins at the nearby campsite are unusually pricey.