Ropaži

:"In Latvia, there is also a town called Garkalne, which is sometimes referred to as "Ropaži"; this is a different place."

Ropaži is a rural district of Latvia, situated in the eastern part of the Riga region in Vidzeme. The center of Ropaži is 36 km from Riga, the capital of Latvia. Through the territory of Ropaži rural district pass the Riga – Ergli railway, the European route E67 also known as "Via Baltica", and the 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, (3,000 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 Kažoksan, 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:
*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