History

Scientifically proved signs of population at the lower river Ogre appeared 1 thousand years B.C.

The place was mentioned in the Chronicle of Livonian Indrikis (1225-1226), as the meeting of bishop Alberts and Prince of Polock was appointed hthere, probably in the place of settlement of ancient Livs.

In the middle of 19th century in the place of nowadays Ogre there were only fields of Ikskile Estate and houses of peasants owned by Riga City.

In 1861 railway line Riga-Daugavpils was opened, and Ogre became a popular place of resort because of its nature and climate.

Ogre was consecrated as a health resort already in 1862 and the rich from Riga began to build their cottages there. In 1900 there were 200 cottages, in 1914: 300.

In 1927 the parish of cottages was founded, later it turned into the parish of Ogre. In 1930 the Lutheran church of Ogre was consecrated - it was built by donations of local people.

Lutheran Church

The Catholic parish will soon have a church of its own. The foundation stone of the new Catholic church was laid on May 19th, 1996.

The Brethren's Cemetery of Ogre was consecrated in 1927 - soldiers of the World War I were buried and the monument of Latvian Rifleman was erected.

The monument to victims of World War II genocide was unveiled nearby.

In 1928 Ogre with its 1100 inhabitants received rights of a town. The territory of Ogre was 4285 hectars then. At the time children sanatorium "Ogre" was built (for children suffering pulmonary and bone tuberculosis).

Nowadays the sanatorium has bocome a children rehabilitation center of national importance. The local monument of architecture and history of Ogre was built in 1929 - a sanatorium "Saulstari". The chief of construction was architect K. Bikse.

The sanatorium was built in a suitable place - in the middle of pine-tree forests on the left bank of the river Ogre, not far fom its estuary into Daugava. "Saulstari" was opened on 6th July, 130, in the beginning it was supposed to work during summer. From 1938 the sanatorium worked all year round and it was possible to treat 750 people a year. After World War II the sanatorium was reopened in 1946.

From 1975 it is the only medical institution in Latvia, healing and diagnozing all kinds of tuberculosis.

Reconstruction of 11th century Liv woman's/child's dress