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Užupis (Template:Lang-be, Template:Lang-pl, Template:Lang-ru) is a neighborhood in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, largely located in Vilnius' old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Užupis means "on the other side of the river" in the Lithuanian language and refers to the Vilnia River. The name Vilnius was derived from the Vilnia. The district has been popular with artists for some time, and has been compared to Montmartre in Paris due to its bohemian atmosphere. The district houses art galleries, artists' workshops, and popular cafés. On April Fools Day, 1997, the district declared itself an independent republic (The Republic of Užupis), replete with an army of 12 personnel.

Geography

Užupis is quite small and isolated, being only about 148 acres (0.60 km) in size. On one side it is separated from the Old Town by the Vilnia River, on the other there are steep hills, and on the third there is an industrial area built under the Soviet rule. The first bridges across the river were built in the 16th century, at which time the district's inhabitants were mostly Jewish.

History

The district contains the Bernardine Cemetery, one of the oldest in the city. Most of the district's Jewish population vanished during the Holocaust, and later even the old Jewish Cemetery would be destroyed by the Soviets. The houses left empty by the Holocaust were occupied by marginal elements of society, the homeless, and prostitutes. At the end of 19th century in Užupis there lived Felix Dzerzhinsky—and laterMikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis. Until Lithuania's declaration of independence in 1990, it was one of the most neglected areas in the city, containing many run-down houses, many without utilities. The region has been a common haunt of artists and bohemians since Soviet times, and even today many young artists are squatting in abandoned buildings near the Vilnia River.

The Republic of Užupis

In 1997, the residents of the area declared a Republic of Užupis, with its own flag, currency, president, constitution, and an army (numbering approximately 17 men). They celebrate this independence annually on Užupis Day, which falls on April 1st. Artistic endeavours are the main preoccupation of the Republic and indeed the current President of the Republic of Užupis, Romas Lileikis, is himself a poet, musician, and film director.

Artūras Zuokas, a former mayor of Vilnius, lives in Užupis and frequently takes part in the Republic's events.

It is unclear whether the statehood of the Republic, recognized by no government, is intended to be serious, tongue-in-cheek, or a combination of both. The decision to place Užupis Day on April 1 (April Fools' Day) may not be coincidental.

Constitution of Užupis

Copies of the 41 articles of the Republic's constitution, in eight languages, can be found affixed to a wall on Paupio street in the area. Some of these articles would be unremarkable in a constitution; for instance, Article 5 simply reads "Man has the right to individuality.". Others are more idiosyncratic. A typical example can be found in Articles 1 ("People have the right to live by the River Vilnelė, while the River Vilnelė has the right to flow past people."), 12 ("A dog has the right to be a dog.") and 37 ("People have the right to have no rights."), each of which makes an unusual apportionment of rights. There are a number of paired articles, such as Articles 16 ("People have the right to be happy.") and 17 ("People have the right to be unhappy.") which declare people's right to either do or not do something, according to their desire.

Angel of Užupis

On April 4, 2002, a statue of an angel blowing a trumpet was unveiled in the main square. It was intended to symbolize the revival and artistic freedom of the district.

Previously, a temporary sculpture of an egg stood in its place. The egg itself became the subject of various anecdotes. After being replaced by the larger statue, the egg was sold at an auction for 10,200 litas.

References

1. "Zappa lives in Lithuania". Rolling Stone. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
2. Link to English translation of Uzupis Constitution

External links

• They tore down Lenin's statue - and raised one to Frank Zappa, article in Guardian Unlimited
• Užupis case study at Exchange Network for Sustainable Urban Revitalisation Experience
• Meeting the president of Užupis, video
• Video report about Vilnius, featuring a lot of scenes filmed in Užupis : Locks on bridges, the Republic and the Constitution

54°40′50″N 25°17′49″E / 54.68056°N 25.29694°E / 54.68056; 25.29694

• Neighbourhoods of Vilnius
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