Main Building
No matter which direction one approaches the Verla World Heritage Site from, the manor-like Patruunan Pytinki (The Master's Residence) dominates the landscape. This main building of the Verla Groundwood Mill and Cardboard Factory was completed in 1885 as the home of the factory manager, or patruuna, Gottlieb Kreidl. Later, in 1898, the building was expanded with a tower-like addition, the ground floor of which housed the factory office and the upper floor contained guest rooms.
The Patruunan Pytinki was designed by the architect Eduard Dippell, who also planned the other central buildings of the Verla factory area. The building, which represents the Revival style, served as the residence and office for the factory directors until 1964, when factory operations in Verla ceased. The last manager lived in the Pytinki for some time after that.
Verla Patruuna (Boss) Gottlieb Kreidl 1882–1908
Director Hjalmar Andersin 1909–1921
Engineer Rafael Breitenstein 1922
Agronomist Buno Breitenstein 1923–1950
Master of Science in Technology Nils Lindblom 1951–1964
In the late 1960s, Kymiyhtiö converted the vacant residences into a holiday village for its staff. The Pytinki served as the holiday village's dining hall until the 2000s, and towards the end, clients of the Verla Factory Museum also enjoyed the Pytinki's restaurant services. The building was closed in 2007 due to its poor technical condition.
After being vacated, the Pytinki took on a new role as a research subject: restoration students from Kymenlaakso University of Applied Sciences studied and documented its history, construction phases, and surfaces, bringing forth valuable information about the building's phases, styles, and color schemes from different eras. This information was needed for the restoration project carried out between 2023–2025, during which the interior of the building was returned to the spirit of the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Now, the Patruunan Pytinki is once again part of the Verla experience! The main floor hosts an atmospheric restaurant, and the second floor of the tower section offers meeting rooms for rent. The customer service, museum shop, and ticket sales for the World Heritage Site are located in the factory's old office.
The doors of the Pytinki are open according to the museum's opening hours. Welcome to explore the history of Verla!