Ligatne – nature trails

Līgatne – the nature trails of the Gauja National Park were created in 1975 with the aim of acquainting visitors with nature, the species of wild mammals living in Latvia, the diversity of nature and the need for protection.

On the banks of the Gauja River, in a region rich in wooded ravines, trails have been laid for more than 5 km where you can observe animals and birds characteristic of the Latvian fauna. A visit takes an average of 2-2.5 hours.

Wild animals found on nature trails in Ligatne were brought from various places in Latvia. These were injured or tamed cubs of animals that could not survive without human care and constantly find food. Roofs, wild boars, bears, foxes, wolves, moose, lynxes, owls, eagle owls and bison can be observed along the fences of the Ligatne nature trails.

Visiting nature trails in Ligatne, visitors are advised to wear comfortable clothing and shoes suitable for hiking.

Caves in Ligatne

Ligatne and its environs contain a significant amount of sandstone outcrops, which we call rocks and rocks. Perhaps there is the largest concentration of sandstone rocks in Latvia, which the inhabitants of Ligatne and its environs have used for many years for domestic and industrial purposes, creating cave and cellar systems.

In Ligatne and its environs there are several tens of rocks and rocks, and the value of all these pearls of nature is no less significant, because how not to mention the Gudu rocks, the Kuku rocks, the Zvarte breed and others.

Very interesting discoveries are associated with caves and cellars located in the rocks. And immediately it is worth recalling that this is not a scourge of the Soviet era, the tradition of using the advantages given by nature in Ligatne has a more ancient history.
Here is what Aivar Balodis, a researcher in the history of Ligatne, writes about this:

“Every self-respecting person thinks that with Ligatne cellars everything is more than clear. Here we are talking about cellars carved in sandstone rocks. Pink, golden and gray sandstone rocks formed 350-370 million years ago. They formed when the currents demolished sand particles and clay rocks that settled, compacted, and cemented to form sandstone and dolomite or sedimentary rocks visible today. ”
Visiting the caves and cellars of Ligatne is available to tourists only with a guide!

A particularly secret object of Soviet times, code-named “Pension”.

On the territory of the Ligatne rehabilitation center at a depth of 9m underground there is a well-equipped bunker with an area of ​​2000 m2, the stigma of which was removed only in 2003. The bunker was built in the 80s of the last century for the needs of the political and state elite in the event of a nuclear war. Secret shelter of the first secretaries of the Soviet Communist Party, the bunker was one of the strategically important places in Soviet Latvia in the event of a nuclear war. The most powerful autonomous economic structure with all the necessary and latest equipment of the time. Until now, we managed to preserve all the authentic underground equipment!