Kivisalmi Bridge was completed in 1963, replacing the earlier ferry connection that once linked the southern and northern parts of Lake Konnevesi. Before the bridge was built, a motorised ferry transported vehicles and passengers across the strait, forming an essential part of the Kuopio–Vaasa highway. The area remains a striking landscape feature where natural beauty and history meet at the water’s edge.

The history of Kivisalmi also bears a tragic chapter. On July 28, 1956, a bus operated by Koivuranta Oy was travelling from Jyväskylä to Kuopio when its brakes failed as it approached the ferry. The vehicle plunged into the water, and fifteen people drowned while eighteen survived. On the Konnevesi side of the strait, a memorial now stands in remembrance of those who lost their lives.

In 1992, the Museum of Central Finland conducted an architectural survey of the bridge and the former ferry site, recognising the area’s cultural and historical value. It reflects the region’s transition from water-based transport to a modern road network. Today, Kivisalmi also serves as an access point to the Southern Konnevesi National Park. The former ferry site has been turned into a rest area with a harbour, boat ramp, summer restaurant, picnic shelter and dry toilet.

Recently restored, the bridge has regained its original character. The embankments were cleared and the scenery opened to reveal the bridge’s elegant form and the wide lake view. Kivisalmi Bridge now stands as part of Konnevesi’s living history – separating the southern and northern Konnevesi lakes, uniting travellers and leading the way to the natural beauty of the national park