Discover Mankala: power plant, culture and paddling route

Mankala’s landscape is closely connected to its power plant. It also features traces of industrial history, the “Pieni Järvineito” statue and a circular paddling route on the Kymijoki. These different themes can help you decide what interests you most about Mankala: the river landscape, cultural history or a paddling trip. The route has specific safety requirements that are important to consider when planning.

Power plant and rapids landscape

The massive red-brick Mankala power plant dominates the impressive rapids landscape. After the power plant was completed, the rapids disappeared from view. There is also a large timber slide at the power plant on the south bank of the river. Together, these features point to the industrial history of the river area, while the building continues to define the landscape today.

In the wider region, the Vuolenkoski–Mankala landscape area in Iitti is classified as a regionally valuable landscape area. The Second Salpausselkä is also clearly visible in the landscape there. This view of the wider region complements the specific locations in Mankala without equating them with the entire landscape area.

Art and former industrial sites

The “Pieni Järvineito” statue stands on Talasvuori, overlooking the landscape around Kettujärvi. Sculptor Reijo Huttu created it in 2017 as a tribute to the lake landscape and the Kymijoki. Here, the river and lake landscape are artistic subjects; the statue itself is a distinctive feature of Mankala.

A director’s villa dating from the late 19th century stands southeast of the power plant. The former trackbed of a narrow-gauge railway can be seen on its grounds. The railway once ran along the shore from the power plant to a waterfront warehouse. The villa therefore reveals several layers of industrial history: the 19th-century building and the visible trace of a former transport link.

The Mankala rapids also made their way into art history. K. E. Ståhlberg filmed them for two documentaries. The second was shown in Berlin in 1911 under the title “Finland” and was considered Finland’s first tourism promotional film. In the late 1910s, Väinö Hämäläinen, Pekka Halonen and Victor Westerholm also captured the rapids in several paintings. Between 1922 and 1949, mainly romantic lumberjack films and love dramas were made in Mankala and Vuolenkoski.

Iitti circular paddling route and safety

The “Iitti Ring” circular paddling route follows the Kymijoki from Mankala to the church village of Iitti and back via Vuolenkoski. At the Mankala facility, paddlers get out before the power plant and transport their kayaks around it overland on a kayak trolley. Before the Mankala dam, beyond the power line that crosses the road, there is a landing point on the right with a disembarkation ramp and kayak trolley. Before setting off, check the condition of the facilities and the route’s water levels and safety conditions.

Caution is required when approaching the dam: opening the sluice gates can create a strong suction effect. A safety distance of at least 200 metres from the power plant must be maintained; paddling in the reservoir is expressly prohibited. These requirements are essential when planning the route and should not be confused with simply asking how the route runs.

More ways to explore Mankala

For a trip along the Kausala–Mankala–Kausala route, after visiting the Mankala power plant, head west on a smaller, winding, unpaved road. As road conditions can change, check the latest information before travelling. The same applies to water levels and safety when paddling: take the relevant conditions into account before setting off.

Discover more destinations: Rekola, Virolahti, Kuusankoski, Verla, Kannusjärvi, Mäntlahti, Kouvola, Iitti.

For the main travel overview: Kymenlaakso.