Ropaži

Ropaži is a rural district of Latvia, situated in the eastern part of the Riga region in Vidzeme[?]. The center Ropaži is 36 km far from Riga, the capital of Latvia. Through the territory of Ropaži rural district go Riga – Ergli railway, the international motorway VIA “Baltica”, highways Riga – Lubana and Ogre – Incukalns.

Territory: 326,4 km2.

Population: 6,125 inhabitants.

As of January 1, 2002 the largest villages are:

• Ropaži – 1900 inhabitants,
• Zakumuiža – 1221 inhabitants,
• Silakrogs – 779 inhabitants,
• Mucenieki – 689 inhabitants,
• Tumšupe – 633 inhabitants ,
• Kakciems – 513 inhabitants,
• Augšciems – 372 inhabitants.

History of Ropaži

The territory of Ropaži district has been inhabited since the Stone Age – Neolithic era, 3 thousand years B.C. 4 ancient cemeteries and stone objects found there give proof of that.

The first written evidences about Ropaži and its inhabitants go back to 1205, when Henricus mentioned Ropaži in “Chronicles of Indrikis”. A. Beilenstein considered the inhabitants of the district as Liivs of the Daugava. In about 1320 the Order of Livonia built a stone castle at Ropaži which served as a centre of the 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 baron Bergi family obtained Ropaži manor, they carried out large construction works. The gardener Daniel Ebel formed one the first garden parks of Latvia. In the area of 9,3 ha 29 species of trees and bushes were planted.

In the reports of 1736 we can find information about education of children. In 1766 the Parish school “Parupes” was established. Two famous Latvians – an adherent to “The New Current”, the writer and translator Augusts Kažoks and the poet Doku Atis worked there.

On 18th August, 1804 clergyman C. fon Valter described professors Robertson’s flight from Riga to Ropaži in a hot - air balloon.

In 1855 Ropaži manor became the property of baron Victor fon Volf. At the beginning of the 19th century the Ropaži manor was burned down.

Ropaži was seriously touched by World War I and World War II. In year 1949 over 150 inhabitants suffered repressions

In 1936 Ropaži 7 – grade Primary School was build; in 1960 it was changed to a secondary school.

In Ropaži you can visit many cultural and nature objects, like: Kangari Hills – point 65m a.s.l. restricted nature area 672 ha, Lielkangari Marsh 832 ha, Ancient cemetery – stone age etc.