Līgatne paper mill was established in 1815 and operated until 2014. It was the oldest industrial company in Latvia, which operated for almost 200 years.

Līgatne County Tourism Information Centre

The historic centre of the village is a European scale ensemble of a unique village of workers. Already for 190 years Līgatne name is closely linked with paper mill. The factory experienced a boom in the late 19th century. With the factory, the paper mill village also grew and developed, with paper mill management doing everything to create favourable living conditions for its employees.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the social security level of Līgatne local inhabitants was one of the highest in Europe. Paper mill workers were given separate apartments with firewood heating. Workers did not have to pay for the wood, water and electricity supplied by the factory. There was a school, a hospital, a maternity house, an ambulance, and a society house built by a paper factory in 1897 (now a culture centre). If this complex was confined in a fence, life would continue, as Līgatne, along with the highest quality paper, also produced energy and supplied itself.

Workers' houses that were built at the beginning of the 20th century for the paper mill's employees have survived to the present day and are still inhabited today, and they are the oldest barrack buildings in Latvia. The buildings are included in the list of cultural and historical heritage. In addition to the workers' homes, the pharmacy, school, hospital (nowadays care centre) and paper mill club (culture centre) have been successfully maintained in Līgatne.

The historic centre of Līgatne village is a European scale ensemble of a unique village of workers. The guests of the town of Līgatne are given the opportunity to get to know the history of Līgatne and to see the most beautiful places in the centre of Līgatne, as well as to get to know Līgatne locals' way of living, by going on a tour of the historic centre of Līgatne paper mill village.

With the help of a well-informed guide, guests of the city will be able to go on a sightseeing tour of Līgatne paper mill, look at residential buildings and public institutions - cultural houses, hospitals, maternity homes, pharmacies, educational establishments, and go to the sandstone outcrops where locals store the harvest harvested in autumn. Excursions can be booked at the Tourism Information Centre of Līgatne county.