Ikšķile
Ikšķile (ⓘ; German: Uexküll, Üxküll; Livonian: Ikškilā) is a town in Latvia, in Ogre Municipality. It was the first capital of the Roman Catholic Bishopric of Livonia, known by the German name of Üxküll. Saint Meinhard was the first bishop of Üxküll. In 1197, Berthold of Hanover, a Cistercian abbot of Loccum, was made the second bishop of Üxküll. Those days the town was the center of the upcoming crusading activities in the Livonian area. Bishop Berthold moved the episcopal see to Riga, before being killed by the Livs in battle.
Ikšķile | |
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Town | |
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Flag Coat of arms | |
Ikšķile Location in Latvia | |
| Coordinates: 56°49′N 24°29′E | |
| Country | Latvia |
| Municipality | Ogre Municipality |
| Town rights | 1992 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Indulis Trapiņš |
| Area | |
| • Total | 9.95 km2 (3.84 sq mi) |
| • Land | 9.83 km2 (3.80 sq mi) |
| • Water | 0.12 km2 (0.05 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 20 m (70 ft) |
| Population (2023) | |
| • Total | 7,473 |
| • Density | 750/km2 (1,900/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Postal code | LV-5052 |
| Calling code | +371 650 |
| Number of city council members | 15 |
| Website | www |
According to one theory of the toponym's origin, the Livonian language word Ikšķile denoted "the ford or islet(s), i.e. a place (on the Daugava River) where it was possible to cross the river, belonging to the son of the (local ruler) Ike”. The personal name Ike has the honourable meaning ‘age, lifetime’. The Ike family had a great power in Livonia. They controlled the military and trade traffic across the Daugava at Ykescola/Ykescole.
Other sources have suggested that the placename Ikšķile translates from the Finnic Livonian words ikš-ķile (ikš = 'one', ķile = village) meaning "one village" or "the (one) village".