TOURISM GUIDE OGRE AND Ikšķile COUNTIES 1 CoNTENTS Interesting Facts ............................................................................... 3 Ogre Municipality INTERESTING FACTS ... Formed on 1st July 2009 by uniting Ogre Municipality (Ogre Town and Historical buildings on Brivibas street in Ogre .................................. 4 Ogresgals) and rural territories of Krape, Ķeipene, Laubere, Madliena, • The only terrestrial beacon in the world and an exposition dedi- Mazozoli, Meņģele, Suntaži, and Taurupe. cated to the world-famous director who was born in Latvia, Sergejs Cultural history and architecture ...................................................... 6 The total area of the municipality: 993.4 km² Eizenšteins, can be seen at the Cinema Station in Ķeipene. Number of inhabitants in the municipality: 38,944 (2011) Churches ........................................................................................... 16 Number of inhabitants in the town: 26,760 (2011) • The oldest settlements in the Northern Europe are located along the banks of the river Daugava between Ikšķile and Ciemupe. Museums and Collections ................................................................. 22 ToURISM DEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF Ikšķile Municipality Formed in 2004 when Ikšķile and its rural territory became Ikšķile The ruins of the oldest sacred stone building in the Baltic States are Let’s go outside! ............................................................................... 26 • OGRE AND IkšķILE Municipality. located on the St. Meinhard Island. The total area of the municipality: 130 km² Creative Tourism .............................................................................. 32 Brīvības Street 12a, Ogre, LV-5001, Latvia Number of inhabitants in the municipality: 8,847 (2012) • Tīnūži, which is located in Ikšķile Municipality, is the geographical GPS[56.8150, 24.6025] Number of inhabitants in the town: 4,022 (2012) centre of Latvia and the Baltic States. Entertainment and Active Leisure .................................................... 34 Tel.: +371 65071883, +371 29491685 Accommodation ............................................................................... 42 • The only museum of girl guides and boy scouts in the Baltic States Fax: 65071883 is located in Ogre. Food Service ..................................................................................... 48 e-mail: [email protected] The pedestrian bridge in Ogre is the biggest arch bridge in Latvia. Working hours: Business days 9.00. a.m.–6.00. p.m. (during the • Essential Information ....................................................................... 50 summer season 1 May–30 Sep), 10.00. a.m.–5.00. p.m. • The Holy Spirit Orthodox Church of Ikšķile is the smallest Orthodox church in Latvia, next to which one of the oldest cemeteries in Latvia, (during the winter season 1 Oct–30 Apr) which still continue to bury the dead, is located. www.latvijascentrs.lv • The most modern public observatory with the biggest telescope in Latvia is located in Suntaži. Tourism Development Agency of Ogre and Ikšķile • The railway line Riga–Dinaburg (now Riga–Daugavpils), which offers: crosses Ogre and Ikšķile Municipalities, is the first railway line in Latvia that was built in 1861. • Tourism information, travel guidebooks and maps of Ogre, Ikšķile, and How to get to Ogre and Ikšķile... other places in Latvia. • The highest swing in Latvia is located at the Swing Park in Ķeipene Rural Territory. By car Information about the guidebook • Information on tourism objects, attractions, museums, accommoda- Take the state’s major road A6 Riga–Daugavpils tion. • The resident of Ikšķile Linards Liberts produces lemonades, syrups, Take the first category roads P80 Tīnūži–Koknese or P5 Ulbroka–Ogre Publisher: Tourism Development Agency of Ogre and Ikšķile, self- wines, sparkling wines, and even birch vodka from birch sap. • Information on food service and active recreation in Ogre, Ikšķile and governments of Ogre and Ikšķile Municipalities By bus other places in Latvia. • SierŠtelle in Ogre produces 31 various homemade cheeses. Funding: self-governments of Ogre and Ikšķile Municipalities Ogres autobuss Ltd., Talsu autotransports JSC, and Nordeka JSC provide runs from Riga to Ogre and Ikšķile. The bus runs every hour. For more Design: Daina Zviedre Follow us: • Many excellent personalities in Latvia have lived in Ogre and Ikšķile information visit www.1188.lv Translation: Lelde Grigule Municipalities: painters Vilhelms Purvītis, Kārlis Hūns, Jānis Kuga, Kārlis draugiem.lv/latvijascentrs Brencēns, and Eduards Brencēns, the composer Kārlis Kažociņš, the opera Photo of the cover: Tourism Development Agency of Ogre and By train singer Pauls Sakss, writers Sudrabu Edžus and Kārlis Jēkabsons, as well Ikšķile and Gints Ziemelis. Pasažieru vilciens JSC provides train service from Riga to Ikšķile and as the general of the Latvian army Rūdolfs Bangerskis. The memorials facebook.com/Latvijascentrs Photo: archive of the Tourism Development Agency of Ogre and Ogre. In this route the train runs more than one time every hour. For dedicated to these people still continue to honour them. more information visit www.ldz.lv Ikšķile, self-government of Ogre, self-government of Ikšķili, History and twitter.com/#!/Latvijascentrs Art Museum of Ogre, Kaspars Freimanis, Agita Paškeviča, Gints Ziemelis, Jānis Fridrihsons. https://foursquare.com/latvijascentrs 2 3 HISTORICAL BUILDINGS ON BRIVIBAS STREET IN OGRE 1 3 5 7 1 The building on Brīvības Street 4 was built in 1927. The citis, had emigrated to Russia. In 1929 ownership rights were obtained by retained. The remains were bought by the pharmacologist Peteris Shi- the owner, Pauls Baumanis, opened a café and a boarding house, “Ogre owner of the building, Kārlis Ausbiķis, created a hotel and a restaurant anna and Veronika Paucitis. A variety of shop were placed in the building, rons and Lilija Shirons and in 1924 a new chemist’s shop was designed - kurhous”. It was a place where local musicians performed in the even- named Ogre, which was managed by Anna Ausbiķe. During 1948, the e.g. Karlis Davidson’s colonial wares, Mile Austrian’s bakery and confec- by Indriks Blankenburgs. In 1927 a bath house was added, and in 1933 ing, and famous artists prom Riga were frequent guests. In 1930 the Council of Workers’ Deputies and housing association’s flats were located tionary, Marija Mikelsone’s textiles and haberdashery, Elfrida Adins’ meat Edgars Starkis created additional premises for trade and a kiosk. At the management of the restaurant and hotel was taken over by A. Birzulis in the building. After the World War II, the Executive Committee of Ogre and sausage production, Lilija Blicavs’ hairdresser’s. After World War II the end of the 19th century a bathing institution was established as part of (the manager of Mazais Vērmaņu parks) and later, in 1935 by N. Osipas. District, a library, a complex of municipal enterprises, and later – a Hous- function of the building changed several times. Most Ogre inhabitants re- the chemist’s, which functioned until 1941. People could attend the bath The building became the cultural and social center of the town. Various ing Authority, were all located within the building. member it as the Ogre district police department prom forty years. After house to take therapeutic bath (sulphur, conifer needles, assorted salts). entertainments, concerts, festivities (beauty contests, press balls) took the reconstruction of the building in 1997-1998, it is now the restaurant In 1986 the reconstruction of the chemist’s building was started, which place there. After World War II the building housed a dining facility and a 2 The building at 11 Brīvības street is an architectural monu- and entertainment complex “Police Acedemy 98” significantly changed both the outer appearance and the interior of the hotel. Prom the mid-eighties till 1993 the building was run by the applied ment built in 1926 and designed by the architect Eduards Smurgis. The building. At present the chemists continue working in the building, even arts and souvenir production company “Daiļrade”. at present the building station master, Antons Pudans, the owner of the house, set up a hotel 4 The first Ogre railway station, a one-storey stone building, though much of the previous glamour has been lost. is a private property. and a restaurant “Esplanāde”, while the first floor was occupied by various was built in 1859. The structure of the station consisted of two platforms, shops. In 1928 the building was bought by the newly elected Ogre town the platforms shed, a storehouse and loading platform, a water supply 6 The building on Brīvības Street 23, where nowadays a cafe 8 The Ogre post office at 38 Brīvības street is an architec- council. After the reconstruction by Vladimirs Shervinskis, the Ogre town tower, a wooden barrack and two water pumps for filling steam engines. Niko and a flower shop Ortija are located, was built in 1927. The owner of tural monument. It was built in 1936 according to architect Davids Zarins council and Ogre 6-year elementary school were located there. After Over the years the station building has been reconstructed and enlarged. the building was Mārtiņš Pūre, who lived with his family on the higher design. Until that time post office was situated in small inadequate World War II, educational activities continued in the building. When Ogre During World War II it was destroyed, and the new building was built floor of the building, a bakery