Unique Verla

The unique Verla Wood and Board Mill is located 30 kilometers from the center of Kouvola. The factory, which produced light wooden board as its main product, was founded by the Verlankoski River in 1882 and closed in 1964. Eight years later, it opened to the public as Finland’s first factory museum.

The factory buildings, along with their equipment and furnishings, were left untouched. The authenticity of the Verla factory was one of the factors in its acceptance as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.

Ordinary, yet special

Verla is an internationally significant example of the production of pulp and cardboard that flourished in Northern Europe and North America at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Verla is rare in that it is the only World Heritage Site representing the wood processing industry. Both the buildings and the factory machines date back to the late 19th century and the early years of the 20th century.

The small and remote factory was spared from expansions. It operated with 19th-century technology until the 1960s.

In Verla, the stunning ensemble is complemented by the factory’s surrounding worker village, the rapids with its power plant and mill, a complex of workers’ housing, and buildings and structures related to logging and sawmill activities.

In 2016, it was 20 years since Verla’s selection as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Verla is exceptional among World Heritage Sites in that its value lies in its typicality. Verla is remarkable because it has remained untouched.

Guidance in many languages

The designation as a World Heritage Site doubled Verla’s visitor numbers. Since 1996, an average of 17,000 guided visitors have explored the factory museum each year.

The international nature of the site is reflected in its visitors: during the season, people from 45−60 different nationalities visit annually. The Verla factory museum serves tourists in several languages. According to visitors, the main languages, in addition to Finnish, are English, German, and Russian. More information about guided tours can be found on Verla’s website.

In addition to the museum, Verla offers restaurant services in the museum area and shops in the worker village. Visitors can also stay in charming workers’ cottages from the 1890s. In addition to restaurant and accommodation services, Verla offers various activities for the whole family.