County Baldone
County Baldone lies 33 km to the West-East of Riga.Common territory of county covers 179,1 square km., 5,2 square km. are occupied by town.
According to the facts of year 2008 in county Baldone live 5385 inhabitants.
81,4% are Latvians, 12,5% Russians, 3,5% Byelorussians, 1,9% Poles.
The largest populated places in the territory of countryside are Avoti, Kaķīši, Mencendarbe, Pulkarne, Riekstukalns, Rozītes, 
Sarma, Stūri, Vārpas, Kažoki.
There are lot of forests in county ( 48% or 11107,1 ha of total territory), 8430 ha are used by agriculture.
Baldone is surrounded by seven hills, the highest of which are Riekstu hill (85m) and Morisona hill (82m).
Two streams – Ķekava and Misa – flow through Baldone, but the river Bērze starts its flow there. The lakes Lillija and Kausu not far from Baldone – Tome road make the surrounding woods look really picturesque.
The most valuable riches of the nature of county are the sulphur springs and curative mud in Pladu swamp. The layer of peat in Ceplīši bog is seven meters deep.
Highways of state importance Rīga – Skaistkalne and Daugmale – Iecaca run via the territory of Baldone. The length of Baldone self government roads and streets are 135 km.
There is a post office, a library with a reading room where one can use Internet, Tele – 2 , LMT, Triatel and Bite connections available.
The vicinity of Baldone has been inhabited as long as since the Stone Age. Testimony is graveyard in Urlas, Caunas castle mound and other ancient places. The healing springs of Baldone have been mentioned in the documents already in the 15th century. The hamlet of Baldone was formed in the 17th century. In 1648 not far from sulphur spring an estate was built and the first iron kiln of Kurzeme dukedom was fixed up. There functioned also anchor and nail mint, cannon foundry, fusion of glass, coopers’ workshop, weavers’ workshop of fulled cloth and flax mill. Since the end of the 18th century Baldone is known as a spa. In 1780 soldiers of Riga garrison, who were ill with plaque, were treated there. The first health resort was built by the tenant of Baldone prince fon Līvens. In 1795 the following tenant baron fon Korf got permission from the tsarina of Russia Katrin II to arrange sulphur health centre and the year of 1796 is the official year of foundation of this centre. The importance of Baldone health resort decreased after opening a health resort in Ķemeri in 1838, but in the thirties of the 20th century it flourished anew. In 1997 the sanatorium “Baldone” was privatized. In 1823. – 1824. a brick church was built, which is presently being restored and it is a monument of culture of state significance. Hunters’ House in Mencendarbe is boasting with its doors, made in the second half of 18th century in the style of rokoko. In the beginning of the 19th century one of the first library unions started to function in Baldone, being one of the first in the whole territory of Latvia. One of the oldest countryside Chemist’s shops was opened there as well. Baldone has suffered hard times during the war of 1812, as well as during the First and Second World wars, therefore one can find innumerable graves of soldiers in the neighborhood. Tendencies of architecture of the twenties of the 20th century can be noticed in the building of the primary school, built in 1935. Now there is a secondary school in this building. The historical centre of the town characterizes the traditions of wooden buildings, built in the beginning of the 20th century. In the beginning of the 20th century many famous people of culture and science lived and worked there. A Latvian writer Alfrēds Dziļums has spent his childhood and adolescence in the house “Rietumi”, in Baldone parish. The life of a poet and writer Pēteris Aigars is also connected with Baldone. In the graveyard of Baldone lie the bodies of the writer P.Aigars and his wife Sira Jirgens. The houses “Bernesti” and “Spindzeļi” have been the family property of painter Jānis Ošs. His body lies in the graveyard Bernesti. The Radio astrophysics Observatory of Academy of Sciences in Riekstu hill was founded by professor Jānis Ikaunieks, but the dendrarium in Rozītes, planted by professor Pēteris Galenieks, includes about seventy rare species of plants.
Sarma, Stūri, Vārpas, Kažoki.
There are lot of forests in county ( 48% or 11107,1 ha of total territory), 8430 ha are used by agriculture.
Baldone is surrounded by seven hills, the highest of which are Riekstu hill (85m) and Morisona hill (82m).
Two streams – Ķekava and Misa – flow through Baldone, but the river Bērze starts its flow there. The lakes Lillija and Kausu not far from Baldone – Tome road make the surrounding woods look really picturesque.
The most valuable riches of the nature of county are the sulphur springs and curative mud in Pladu swamp. The layer of peat in Ceplīši bog is seven meters deep.
Highways of state importance Rīga – Skaistkalne and Daugmale – Iecaca run via the territory of Baldone. The length of Baldone self government roads and streets are 135 km.
There is a post office, a library with a reading room where one can use Internet, Tele – 2 , LMT, Triatel and Bite connections available.
The vicinity of Baldone has been inhabited as long as since the Stone Age. Testimony is graveyard in Urlas, Caunas castle mound and other ancient places. The healing springs of Baldone have been mentioned in the documents already in the 15th century. The hamlet of Baldone was formed in the 17th century. In 1648 not far from sulphur spring an estate was built and the first iron kiln of Kurzeme dukedom was fixed up. There functioned also anchor and nail mint, cannon foundry, fusion of glass, coopers’ workshop, weavers’ workshop of fulled cloth and flax mill. Since the end of the 18th century Baldone is known as a spa. In 1780 soldiers of Riga garrison, who were ill with plaque, were treated there. The first health resort was built by the tenant of Baldone prince fon Līvens. In 1795 the following tenant baron fon Korf got permission from the tsarina of Russia Katrin II to arrange sulphur health centre and the year of 1796 is the official year of foundation of this centre. The importance of Baldone health resort decreased after opening a health resort in Ķemeri in 1838, but in the thirties of the 20th century it flourished anew. In 1997 the sanatorium “Baldone” was privatized. In 1823. – 1824. a brick church was built, which is presently being restored and it is a monument of culture of state significance. Hunters’ House in Mencendarbe is boasting with its doors, made in the second half of 18th century in the style of rokoko. In the beginning of the 19th century one of the first library unions started to function in Baldone, being one of the first in the whole territory of Latvia. One of the oldest countryside Chemist’s shops was opened there as well. Baldone has suffered hard times during the war of 1812, as well as during the First and Second World wars, therefore one can find innumerable graves of soldiers in the neighborhood. Tendencies of architecture of the twenties of the 20th century can be noticed in the building of the primary school, built in 1935. Now there is a secondary school in this building. The historical centre of the town characterizes the traditions of wooden buildings, built in the beginning of the 20th century. In the beginning of the 20th century many famous people of culture and science lived and worked there. A Latvian writer Alfrēds Dziļums has spent his childhood and adolescence in the house “Rietumi”, in Baldone parish. The life of a poet and writer Pēteris Aigars is also connected with Baldone. In the graveyard of Baldone lie the bodies of the writer P.Aigars and his wife Sira Jirgens. The houses “Bernesti” and “Spindzeļi” have been the family property of painter Jānis Ošs. His body lies in the graveyard Bernesti. The Radio astrophysics Observatory of Academy of Sciences in Riekstu hill was founded by professor Jānis Ikaunieks, but the dendrarium in Rozītes, planted by professor Pēteris Galenieks, includes about seventy rare species of plants.
Municipality of County Baldone
”Parupes”, Baldone, LV 2125
Phone and FAX 67932750
e-mail: dome@baldone.lv
