Kultala (Gold Village) along Moberginoja Brook

Moberginoja is a little brach of River Sotajoki. In its surroundings, active gold digging has been going for more than 120 years. Originally, Kultala along Moberginoja Brook was an exploration base built by the mining company Prospektor Ab in the beginning of 1900s. Later, there have been many diggers and mining companies. Nowadays, the only mining patent around Ivalojoki is in this area.

Moberginoja Hut was in a very bad condition in the beginning of 1970s. In 1975 - 1976 and 1982, Lapin Kultala Foundation took the initiative to renovate the buildings. Nowadays the buildings are managed by Metsähallitus.

Part of the old, large main building was renovated in the end of 1970 to serve as an open wilderness hut. The remains of the other side of the hut can still be seen next to the building. The better building was renovated in 1975 - 1976, but it was destroyed in fire in 1993. A new hut, which was built in 1999, is similar to the old one. The old, large smoke sauna on the grounds of the hut has room for about twenty bathers. Sauna and the other buildings serves area as a museum sights. Only the hut is open, but overnight stays are not allowed.

Sources:
Mäkipuro, Viljo 1975: Kulta - Lappia ja kullankaivajia. Porvoo. WSOY. p. 303.
Stigzelius, Herman 1987: Kultakuume. Lapin kullan historiaa 2. Helsinki. Suomen Matkailuliitto. p. 256.