Discovering the Independent Republic of Užupis

A month spent back in the UK was more than enough and it was time for another trip, particularly with a summer of work on the horizon. The opportunity to visit an old-friend in Helsinki provided the perfect excuse and from there it would be quick and easy to move through the Baltic countries.

Now, I have always known there to be three countries that make up the Baltics, namely Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - as a quick aside, I found, from the limited places I visited, Vilnius to be the stand-out city of the Baltics and one that I fully recommend. In fact, it was whilst in Vilnius that I discovered there is a fourth claimant to this territory which goes by the name of Užupis.

In reality just a small neighbourhood that loiters on the edge of the beautiful old town, the area declared its independence in 1997, not long after Lithuania had regained its own independence from the Soviets.

Now, unlike other unrecognised break-away states - such as Transnistria in Moldova - this is not a movement rooted in political rivalry or a desire for power. The fact that the very day Užupis declared itself to be independent was April Fools Day is unlikely to have been a coincidence.

That being said, they do possess, amongst other things, their own flag, unofficial currency and at one point an army made-up of eleven men. When crossing the ‘border’ at one of the seven bridges that cross into Užupis, one can even have their passport stamped - although I chose to get mine on the back of a postcard instead….

A sign as you enter the country declares a few of the important rules one must follow, the most memorable being that one has to smile and be happy in the area. This sense of goodwill and playfulness is even better expressed in the constitution of Užupis.

Large mirrored plaques, engraved with the constitution in many different languages, line one of the streets. The common theme amongst the articles is one of freedom and choice, with many mirroring each other - for example ‘everyone has the right to be happy’ is immediately followed by ‘everyone has the right to be unhappy’.

Others such as ‘a dog has the right to be a dog’ may seem silly initially but have more symbolic significance. Number 21 is perhaps the most powerfully philosophical, directly translating into ‘Everyone has the right to realize his negligibility and magnificence’. The constitution itself was even blessed by Pope Francis on a visit in 2018 and I highly recommend reading through the short list which can be found here.

Pope Francis is not even the only major religious figurehead to visit Užupis, which was also graced by the presence of the Dalai Lama on multiple occasions. If nothing else, this perhaps tells of the area's spiritual significance, regardless of political legality.

With a population of just 7,000, around 1,000 of those are artists. A sense of freedom seeps into the neighbourhood. Even on a cold and cloudy day with the streets devoid of people, the atmosphere felt different; perhaps it’s the street art that lines many of the walls, or the connection with nature by being surrounded by so many hills and the river. At night the atmosphere is lively, bars overflow onto the cobbled streets, the majority of patrons young and stylish but somehow avoiding the dangerous territory of being patronisingly hipster.

Vilnius itself is a wonderfully metropolitan and vibrant city and perhaps Užupis is just an extension of that; nevertheless, and perhaps merely psychological, there does seem to exist a unique feeling in the area.

Whatever the reason, Užupis is a ‘country’ well worth visiting. With the news so frequently dominated by stories involving death, deceit and disloyalty. Here is a place that stands for both the freedom and happiness of people in a world that more often than ever feels lacking in those very things.

Written by: Tom Taylor (@tomtayloor)

Posted: 22/05/2022