Ropaži municipality
Encyclopedia
Ropaži municipality is a municipality
in Vidzeme
, Latvia
. The municipality was formed in 2005 by reorganization of Ropaži parish the administrative centre being Ropaži
.
The center of Ropaži is 36 km from Riga, the capital of Latvia. Through the territory of Ropaži municipality pass the Riga – Ērgļi
railway, the European route E67
also known as Via Baltica, and the highways Riga – Lubāna
and Ogre
– Inčukalns
.
Territory: 322 km².
Population: 6.832 inhabitants.
As of January 1, 2002 the largest villages are:
– Neolithic
era, (3,000 years B.C.) 4 ancient cemeteries and stone objects found there give proof of that.
The first written evidences of Ropaži and its inhabitants go back to 1205, when Henry of Livonia mentioned Ropaži in the Indrikis chronicles. A. Beilenstein considered the inhabitants of the district to be Liivs
of the Daugava. In about 1320 the Livonian Order
built a stone castle at Ropaži which served as a centre of district administration. The castle was destroyed in the Livonian War
, in the 17th century. In 1320 the Lutheran Parish was mentioned.
In the 16th century one of the most important routes of Vidzeme
led through Ropaži.
In the 18th century the baronial Bergi family obtained Ropaži manor
and carried out large construction works. The gardener Daniel Ebel formed one the first garden parks of Latvia. In an area of 93,000 square metres 29 species of trees and bushes were planted.
In reports of 1736 we can find information about the education of children. In 1766 the parish school “Parupes” was established. Two famous Latvians worked there: the writer and translator Augusts Kažoks, an adherent of the "The New Current", and the poet Doku Atis.
On 18 August 1804 the clergyman C. von Walter described Professor Robertson’s flight from Riga to Ropaži in a hot-air balloon.
In 1855 Ropaži manor became the property of Baron Victor von Wolf. At the beginning of the 19th century the Ropaži manor was burned down.
Ropaži was seriously affected by World War I
and World War II
. In year 1949 over 150 inhabitants suffered repressions.
In 1936 Ropaži 7–grade Primary School was built; in 1960 it was changed to a secondary school.
In Ropaži are many significant cultural and natural features:
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
in Vidzeme
Vidzeme
Vidzeme is one of the historical and cultural regions of Latvia. Literally meaning "the Middle Land" it is situated in north-central Latvia north of the Daugava River...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
. The municipality was formed in 2005 by reorganization of Ropaži parish the administrative centre being Ropaži
Ropaži
Ropaži is a village in Latvia, the administrative centre of Ropaži municipality. The village located approximately 36 km from the capital Riga....
.
The center of Ropaži is 36 km from Riga, the capital of Latvia. Through the territory of Ropaži municipality pass the Riga – Ērgļi
Ērgļi
Ērgļi is a village in Ērgļi municipality, Latvia. Ērgļi had 2,186 residents as of 2006....
railway, the European route E67
European route E67
European route E 67 is a E-road running from Prague in the Czech Republic to Helsinki in Finland by way of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia....
also known as Via Baltica, and the highways Riga – Lubāna
Lubana
Lubāna is a Latvian town situated in the district of Madona by the Aiviekste river. It acquired a town status in 1992, and the current population is 1974...
and Ogre
Ogre, Latvia
Ogre is the principal town of Ogre District in Central Latvia, 36 km east of the capital Riga, situated at the confluence of the Daugava and Ogre rivers...
– Inčukalns
Inčukalns
Inčukalns is a village in Inčukalns municipality, Latvia. Inčukalns had 2,028 residents as of 2006....
.
Territory: 322 km².
Population: 6.832 inhabitants.
As of January 1, 2002 the largest villages are:
- Ropaži – 1900 inhabitants,
- ZaķumuižaZaķumuižaZaķumuiža is a village in Ropaži municipality, Latvia. Zaķumuiža had 900 residents as of 2006....
– 1221 inhabitants, - Silakrogs – 779 inhabitants,
- Mucenieki – 689 inhabitants,
- Tumšupe – 633 inhabitants,
- Kākciems – 513 inhabitants,
- Augšciems – 372 inhabitants.
History of Ropaži
The territory of Ropaži district has been inhabited since the Stone AgeStone Age
The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
– Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
era, (3,000 years B.C.) 4 ancient cemeteries and stone objects found there give proof of that.
The first written evidences of Ropaži and its inhabitants go back to 1205, when Henry of Livonia mentioned Ropaži in the Indrikis chronicles. A. Beilenstein considered the inhabitants of the district to be Liivs
Livonian people
The Livonians or Livs are the indigenous inhabitants of Livonia, a large part of what is today northwestern Latvia and southwestern Estonia. They spoke the Uralic Livonian language, a language which is closely related to Estonian and Finnish...
of the Daugava. In about 1320 the Livonian Order
Livonian Order
The Livonian Order was an autonomous Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order and a member of the Livonian Confederation from 1435–1561. After being defeated by Samogitians in the 1236 Battle of Schaulen , the remnants of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword were incorporated into the Teutonic Knights...
built a stone castle at Ropaži which served as a centre of district administration. The castle was destroyed in the Livonian War
Livonian War
The Livonian War was fought for control of Old Livonia in the territory of present-day Estonia and Latvia when the Tsardom of Russia faced a varying coalition of Denmark–Norway, the Kingdom of Sweden, the Union of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland.During the period 1558–1578,...
, in the 17th century. In 1320
In the 16th century one of the most important routes of Vidzeme
Vidzeme
Vidzeme is one of the historical and cultural regions of Latvia. Literally meaning "the Middle Land" it is situated in north-central Latvia north of the Daugava River...
led through Ropaži.
In the 18th century the baronial Bergi family obtained Ropaži manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
and carried out large construction works. The gardener Daniel Ebel formed one the first garden parks of Latvia. In an area of 93,000 square metres 29 species of trees and bushes were planted.
In reports of 1736 we can find information about the education of children. In 1766 the parish school “Parupes” was established. Two famous Latvians worked there: the writer and translator Augusts Kažoks, an adherent of the "The New Current", and the poet Doku Atis.
On 18 August 1804 the clergyman C. von Walter described Professor Robertson’s flight from Riga to Ropaži in a hot-air balloon.
In 1855 Ropaži manor became the property of Baron Victor von Wolf. At the beginning of the 19th century the Ropaži manor was burned down.
Ropaži was seriously affected by World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In year 1949 over 150 inhabitants suffered repressions.
In 1936 Ropaži 7–grade Primary School was built; in 1960 it was changed to a secondary school.
In Ropaži are many significant cultural and natural features:
- Kangari Hills – 65 m above sea level, and a restricted nature area of 6.72 km²
- Lielkangari Marsh - 8.32 km²
- Ancient cemetery – Stone Age