Story
The story of Užupis
On April 1, 1997, this neighbourhood declared itself an independent republic, with its own constitution. Whether the Republic of Užupis is meant seriously, tongue-in-cheek or both is unclear, and choosing April Fools' Day may not be a coincidence. Užupis means "beyond the river", referring to the Vilnia, which separates it from the Old Town.
It covers only about 60 hectares, with around 7,000 inhabitants, nearly 1,000 of them artists. Until 1990 it was one of the most neglected areas of the city, full of run-down houses, many without utilities. Look for the wall on Paupio Street, where the constitution's 38 articles are displayed in 23 languages.
Article 12 declares that "A dog has the right to be a dog", Article 16 grants the right to be happy, and Article 17 the right to be unhappy. On the main square, an angel blowing a trumpet, unveiled in 2002, became a symbol of the district's revival.
This story is compiled from Wikipedia and other open sources; dates and numbers are checked against the source. The text is shared under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Source ↗
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