Discover Voka
Accommodation in Voka
Voka offers a local history that brings together protected parkland, water engineering, and manor heritage. These provide concrete points of interest when choosing a destination, especially if cultural and landscape themes matter alongside the place name. Its historical traces span from the manor’s first mention to facilities from the Soviet era; the reservoir also adds a history of damming the river and former businesses at the dam. This makes it possible to explore Voka through several themes and periods rather than reducing its history to a single building.
Park and reservoir
The protected Voka mõisa park is located in Voka alevik and covers 17.5 ha. Boundaries and area figures may be adjusted by the relevant authority. The Voka Reservoir was created when a river was dammed near the Voka manor complex. Voka’s local history thus brings together two distinct aspects of the landscape: the park’s protected status and the reservoir’s creation through water engineering. Those interested in the connection between landscape and local history can consider these aspects separately. The park represents the protected grounds, while the reservoir reflects the history of damming the river.
Traces at the dam
The ruins of a former vodka distillery and a former grain mill remain at the dam of the Voka Reservoir. The two ruins point to different former businesses: distilling and grain processing. In this way, the history of activity at the dam complements the story of the reservoir’s creation. The area is given as 3.3 ha, or 3.6 ha according to other sources; the shoreline length is listed as 1,881 m or 1,901 m. These alternatives should be retained when comparing sizes, rather than treating any one figure as undisputed. Area and shoreline length are different measurements, and differing figures are given for both.
Manor history and architecture
The Voka manor was first mentioned in 1586 under the name Kollota and comprised seven haken of land. A haken is a historical unit of area, so the figure belongs in its historical context and should not be read as a modern hectare measurement. In 1712, a post station was established in Voka on the Saint Petersburg–Tartu–Riga road. This adds a specific connection to the named road alongside the manor. The manor house at Voka Manor was completed in the first years of the 19th century and is considered an outstanding example of Neoclassical architecture. The chronology runs from the manor’s first mention in the 16th century, through the post station in the early 18th century, to the manor house of the early 19th century. It helps distinguish manor history, transport history, and architecture as separate historical layers.
Another historical layer
The Soviet era is also part of Voka’s building history. A full-scale stadium, a sports building, an indoor shooting range, and a hunting range were built during this period. This chapter differs from the older points of reference: while the manor’s first mention, the post station, and the manor house each mark a different period, the Soviet era saw the construction of several facilities. For travellers who take history into account when choosing a destination, this offers more than a single historical point of reference. Voka can be understood through its different periods, with themes ranging from manor heritage and Neoclassical architecture to later construction projects. Which of these historical perspectives interests you most may influence your choice of destination.
Discover more destinations: Pühajõe.
Return to the broader travel overview: Toila Parish.
