Līgatne Parish

Līgatne Parish
parish of Latvia
57°11′13″N 25°03′39″E
Country	Latvia
Area
• Total	157.40 km2 (60.77 sq mi)
• Land	157.4 km2 (60.8 sq mi)
• Water	3.11 km2 (1.20 sq mi)
Population  (1 January 2024)
• Total	2,160
• Density	14/km2 (36/sq mi)

Līgatne Parish (Latvian: Līgatnes pagasts, called Paltmale parish Latvian: Līgatnes pagasts until 1925) is an administrative territorial entity of Cēsis Municipality in the Vidzeme region of Latvia. Pop. 2864 (2005). It covered an area of 160.6 km².

History

In 1815, Riga merchants Konrāds Strohs and Kārlis Kībers acquired vast territories in the valley of the lower reaches of the Līgatne River, which they named Konrādsruhe (Conradsruhe). They also acquired the Paltmale Manor mill, converting it into a paper manufacturing facility. This manufactory produced the first 1050 puds (approximately 17 tons) of Līgatne paper from rags. Products included writing paper, various types of wrapping paper, and letter paper. These were the beginnings of the Līgatne Paper Mill.

In 1890, Henry Visendorff, the son of a local miller, purchased the Paltmale Mill for his parents. He expanded it, transforming it into a modern enterprise with a cement plant and a cotton processing unit that produced the best cotton wool in the Russian Empire from Egyptian cotton. He also installed a hydro turbine with an electric generator at a time when electricity was still unknown in Riga. Visendorff also participated in laying the foundation stone of the Paltmale Social Society's building, donating a significant sum to the project.

In 1913, the Ķempji parish was separated from Paltmale parish. Līgatne parish (called Paltmale parish until 1925) developed on the former Paltmale Manor lands. In 1933, Ķempji parish was rejoined with Līgatne parish. By 1935, Līgatne parish covered an area of 72.4 km².

In 1945, Līgatne and Ķempji village councils were established in the parish, but the parish itself was dissolved in 1949. That same year, the worker's settlement status was granted to the Līgatne Paper Mill settlement, which was separated into an independent administrative territory. In 1951, part of the Lakši village was added to Līgatne village, followed by Ķempji village in 1954 and part of Sigulda village in 1958. In 1990, the village was reorganized into a parish.

In 2009, Līgatne parish was merged with the town of Līgatne to form Līgatne Municipality. In 2021, Līgatne Municipality was incorporated into Cēsis Municipality.