Home / Things to do / Enter History

Līgatne historical centre and cave cellars

For almost 200 years the name of Ligatne is closely linked with the paper mill. The historical centre of the paper mill’s village has survived to our times and is un urban construction heritage of national importance.

Ligatne is one of the most beautiful nature corners in the Gauja National Park.

On the one hand, Ligatne is connected to the paper producer in Latvia that used to be the only one, on the other hand, to the old valley of Gauja River and Gauja National Park, but in the center of it there is Ligatne historical complex of paper industry with a unique “Historical center of Ligatne Paper Mill village”.
The historical development of the village of Ligatne Paper Mill is at least 200 years long. Ligatne is situated on 6 hills: Rigaskalns, Springukalns, Skolaskalns, Plucukalns, Kiberkalns and Remdenkalns, in the middle of which there is a valley named Zakusala.

The  paper’s mill village developed together with the mill – the amnagement of the paper mill did everything to make the living conditions good for its employees.

There is a significant number of sandstone exposures, which we call cliffs and rocks, in Ligatne and its suburb. It is possible that it has the highest concentration of sandstone rocks in Latvia, which have been practically and successfully used by inhabitants of Ligatne and its suburb for many years for household and industrial needs creating cave systems and cellars.

Some rocks – Lustuzis, Anfabrika cliffs and Springu rocks are protected natural sites of national importance. But in Ligatne and its suburb there are tenths of cliffs and rocks, and the value of all these natural pearls is not less important, because how not to mention Gudu cliffs, Kuku cliffs, Zvartes rock and others…

Ligatne is the richest in caves place in Latvia. Caves – cellars excellent at storage of vegetables and chosen as winter quarters by bats. 8 species of bats are met in Ligatne.

This is what Aivars Balodis – the historian of Ligatne writes:

“Each self respecting inhabitant of Ligatne thinks that everything is more than clear about cellars of Ligatne. Here we talk about cellars carved in sandstone rocks. Rosy, aureate and grey sandstone rocks formed 350-370 millions of years ago. They formed when streams of water brought sandy, dusty and clayey rock particles, which sedimentated, consolidated and cementing formed sandstone and dolomite rock or sedimentary rocks, which we see now.''

 

 



Back to top