Photo: Andrius Ambramavičius

Užupis is an urban area of Vilnius characterized by dilapidated buildings, courtyards and side streets that haven‘t been renovated for decades. But when the music reverberates over the cobbles in the late evenings I am convinced that you will fall in love with this unique part of Vilnius city. Užupis was declared as independent Republic in 1997. The atmosphere – filled with love, music, smells and happy people – will certainly catch your soul. When you at late night again cross the river Vilnia I think you’re going to do it with a big smile and renewed appreciation of the exceptionally many exciting adventures and stories Lithuania has to offer…

Text: Rasa Mekuškaitė

13 years ago the Republic of Užupis declared its independence. It’s easy to get there; Užupis is located right in the centre of the city, just a few hundred meters from Vilnius Old Town. Vilnia River prominently separates its territory from the rest of the city. Cultural, artistic and political representatives, engineers, students and the unemployed all combine to unite this small district in the capital of Lithuania. There you can meet all kinds of people – millionaires as well as beggars became an inseparable part of Užupis district.

As every district of the city Užupis also has its own lifestyle. However, the newcomers, who came to Užupis some 15-20 years ago were accepted by the current inhabitants in a very unfriendly way – like a colonists, says Romas Lileikis – film director, bard and president of the Republic of Užupis. Nonetheless, despite worries, those young and creative people sincerely tried to befriend the locals. “You have to break your inner barriers without any outside influence” Romas explains.

Today the Republic of Užupis is well known and attracts daily arriving newcomers and tourists. Indeed, establishment of Užupis was a hard task to do. The founders haven’t received any financial support from the government or private money investors.

Everything starts with an idea. Someone had drawn a map of Užupis, and then someone created the flags (different colors for each season of the year) and a completely new calendar marked with some unique holidays and dates, known nowhere in the world but in Užupis. An open hand with a round hole in the middle of the palm on white background was chosen to be a symbol of Užupis. Also an authentic constitution of 41 articles (only 4 of them didn’t start with the word “human”) was written.

Photo: Rasa Mekuškaitė

If you simply ask an inhabitant of Užupis (užupietis), or someone who loves this Republic what Užupis means to them –after a few minutes of consideration the answer would be – “Užupis is a . . .“ It’s mystic atmosphere and space, ancient history, an abundance of greenery, compatibility and accessibility and finally it’s cultural bohemian charm attracts people to visit this lovely place.

If someone wants to become an “užupietis” (that’s how inhabitants of Užupis are being called in Lithuanian) he didn’t have to memorize a constitution, be an artist or meet any other requirements. “One simply has to wade through the river and reach the other bank. It should come from the inside” Marius Abramavicius Neboisia (an old Užupis dweller and artist) shares his thoughts. While traveling to Georgia he even wrote in his memoirs that “an užupietis remains užupietis even in Georgia”.  Nobody can force you to become the citizen of this republic and nobody can take it back from you.

All people who live here – from creative artists to enterprising businessmen – share the same opinion that Užupis is not their property “We’re creating it, but we don’t own it”. All the interested newcomers are becoming a natural part of this atmosphere. You may observe the changing names of resident artists and photography studios or the names of stores but the creative breathing remains the same.

One of the most important symbols of the Republic of Užupis (and of Vilnius as well) is a sculpture of an angel blowing a trumpet. It has an interesting history behind its origin. When artists began settling here they’ve decided that was important to have their own herald. The enthusiasm was so strong that the idea grew despite the fact that they didn’t have any funds.

The creation of Angel sculpture was exclusively funded by local dwellers. Firstly, they created an obelisk with a giant nest egg on the top of it. Today, when asked about the sculpture local teenagers say “Oh! The Angel has to be come out of an egg”. Finally, after five years the dream became reality and the angel is blowing his trumpet towards the West, towards the Old Vilnius. Usually this place has predominantly western winds, so somehow it is a play of words which shows us that everything is possible.

Also, a miniature copy of an Užupis angel was given to the President of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus on his inauguration day in 1998 as a gift from Užupis.

Photo: Rasa Mekuškaitė

A few years after, Republic officials decided to refuse keeping an army. “The army won’t protect us if heaven will refuse to do so” the President Romas Lileikis says. He also briefly comments that if we want to understand the world, we have to start out from ourselves and to struggle with aggression not from the outer side, but from the inside. The main following point is that talented people change other people into talented ones too. He also accents that it is very important to be a personality if you want to be together. Furthermore, social community will help you whenever you need it, whether you’re happy or sick, or seeking for mercy, or simply want to share your ideas and thoughts. Success is the most important gun of the nation, declares Romas.

One of the first European centers of alternative art Užupis Art Incubator (as it calls UMI) and its gallery “Galera” were founded in 1996 by a group of young and initiative Vilnius Art Academy students and local artists. This impressive building has beautifully painted walls, and is decorated by ground sculptures, wall sculptures and a monumental stone dedicated to the “Unknown teacher”. Nearby, in the yard, there are several embankments artistically strengthened with concrete and stones. Local ducks often use the smallest harbor in Europe (located in Užupis of course) for swimming and quacking around. That is why they have chosen an emblem of drake on it. A decade ago various art projects, festivals and avant-garde fashion shows took place here among the ruins of the Second World War. Today Užupis Art Incubator has become a new home for craft workshops, exhibitions and various live music venues.

Užupis has many resemblances to the famous bohemian district of Paris Montmartre (both have an uphill location, for instance). However, Užupis’ desires to stay unique is stronger than its wish to be called the Lithuanian equivalent of Montmartre.

The Republic of Užupis proclaimed its independence on April 1^st 1998. Užupis’ Independence Day has become an important event to celebrate in a whole Vilnius. More and more tourists from all over the world are coming here to feast the Independence Day, so there are always lots of visitors and representatives of foreign media. Foreigners share their impressions and memories about Užupis with their friends so they all keep returning here when they get a chance. Back in 1998 the ambassadors of foreign countries who resided in Vilnius at that time also honored the newly proclaimed Republic on that special occasion by driving in their cars, trimmed with country flags around the main streets of Užupis.

Photo: Rasa Mekuškaitė

Traditional process of releasing fishes into the water of Vilnia River is also a part of Independence Day celebration. A long parade accompanied by brass band with themed slogans and posters walks along the streets, and then a special live concert concludes the celebration.

A famous U.S. film-maker, one of the activists of the 20^th century Fluxus art movement and Lithuanian expatriate Jonas Mekas was claimed to be the first honorable citizen of the Uzupis Republic. A year ago, on the 1^st of April, 2010 a Jonas Mekas pedestrian alley was solemnly opened there. The alley’s path goes along the main Užupis Street towards the Vilnius Art Academy, where you may see the roof topped bridge on the Vilnia River which was named by Jurgis Mačiūnas – George Maciunas (pioneer and author of the Fluxus idea). His Holiness the 14^th Dalai Lama of Tibet and a former mayor of Bogotá Antanas Mockus (son of Lithuanian immigrants who has been a candidate for the presidential election in Colombia in 2010) are among the most famous visitors of Užupis.

Užupis’ New Year’s Day (so called a Trap Day) is celebrated on the day of the spring equinox (20^th of March) and is coincident with astronomical spring and Earth Day. On that day much attention is paid to human addictions of material and spiritual background. All people are invited to purify themselves, to burn their old sins in the bonfire and symbolically wash themselves in the River’s water.

The Day of the White Tablecloths is celebrated on the second day of Easter at the Užupis café terrace. Everyone there exchanges greetings and food from their Easter meal. It doesn’t matter whether it is a sunny warm day or a snowy one. Indeed, covering their meals from falling snowflakes is the main attraction for those who came there. Everything fades behind a feeling of belonging to a community.

First planned as Fall Harvest day celebration has later become a regular weekly based natural foods and flea market in the Tymo block area.

Usually on Saturdays all bridges of Užupis are being attended by the married couples, because according to tradition the bridegroom has to carry his bride across the river. About 10 years ago a new interesting custom of ‘locking a padlock and throwing away the key’ has been adopted there. The newlyweds are affixing padlocks with engraved initials/date/wishes to the railings of the bridges and then throwing the key into the flowing river. If someone would take a closer look onto these almost new looking padlocks one may see that they were left by those couples, who recently celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary.

Photo: Rasa Mekuškaitė

After long negotiations with municipal committees and representatives of the People’s Republic of China a small park on the Malunu street, not far from oldest Vilnius electrical substation, has been named the Tibet Square.

The street name Malunu (Malunas – mill) is originated from old watermill on the Vilnele river which was a source of energy for a former paper factory. The area always had plenty of manufacturers. Since the Middle Ages a potter guild, a glass foundry and a forge were established here by local craftsmen.

Currently nearby in Angel square you may find clay workshops that keep traditions of Lithuanian heritage alive. There you may find professional artists renewing old tile estate stoves or leading craft workshops.

During the firewood market days when the weather gets colder, some people buy firewood for their pauper neighbors so that they can also warm their dwellings. There are still many homes at Užupis (which remains one of the oldest districts in Vilnius) that use firewood for heating. However, little by little everything changes and now the majority of residents use gas-fired boilers or electricity for warming up.

Wind Days are being celebrated in November. One more time, everything is dedicated to creation and creativity. Traditional poetry readings became an alternative to famous Lithuanian poetry festivals such as Spring Poetry or Poetical autumn of Druskininkai. Days of poetry are always accompanied by live music of different genres (dance, jazz, choral music) and young singers from Vilnius and Užupis.  Directors of non commercial cinema present their movies here also during the Wind Days.

The Užupis café (located nearby the main entrance to Užupis) remains the most important spot for meetings of the Parliament of the Republic. Some very important questions are being considered here. There you can meet the ministers and the premier of the Republic of Užupis – Sakalas Gorodeckis and the finance minister Algimantas Mačiulis (he is also responsible for administering užas – a local currency). The minister of culture is Virginijus Paldavičius, who is also known for making craft boats with symbol of Užupis on its sail. One of the brightest personalities in Užupis is a minister of Foreign Affairs – Tomas Čepaitis. Usually he gives ministers their portfolios or decides who can perform their duties without portfolios. It should be noted that Republic of Uzupis has approx. 250 ambassadors and 100 consuls across the world. The Minister T. Čepaitis divides them into serious and non-serious ones.  This depends on where the man feels in his own place and what he knows best.

First ambassadors in foreign countries were chosen to be Andrey Antonov in Byelorussia, Marius Abramavicius Neboisia in Tibet, Vytenis Rasutis in Georgia and Alfredas Maruška in Nepal (and of Esperanto as well). Also, agencies of Užupis were established in some EU countries. Usually the mayors of main Lithuanian cities are becoming ambassadors of Užupis automatically.

Non-serious ones represent various parts of life (from information technologies to chocolate). If sand and fog are important for you – you are welcome, half-jokingly says Tomas Čepaitis.

Sometimes Užupis is compared to Monaco and Liechtenstein duchies. Also this little Republic keeps creative diplomatic dialogues with Christiania (a similar Republic in Dresden), Žižkov (district of Prague), and odd micronations of Ladonia (Sweden) and Freedonia (Slovenia). By the way, Užupis has almost 7000 inhabitants.

All in all, it is not important whether you are looking upstream or downstream. The polygenesis is like a constant, odd drama for all the progressive ideas. During the warm summer days young people who come to sit there by the river say “Watching the flowing water never bores you”. The river channel surrounds Užupis from the three sides like a horseshoe or caring hands; every thought is feasible.