Finding the secret Republic of Užupis - Lithuania ... · island anchored off the coast of...

12th July

As Lithuania takes over the EU Presidency from Ireland travel writer Brendan Harding discovers an

eclectically independent republic nestling within the country’s capital Vilnius.

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No, I’ve not gone all political, bear with me for just a moment.

The first article of the Irish constitution states as follows; ‘The Irish nation hereby affirms its inalienable,

indefeasible, and sovereign right to choose its own form of Government, to determine its relations with other

nations, and to develop its life, political, economic and cultural, in accordance with its own genius and

traditions.’

Now, compare this with the first article of the constitution of the Republic of Užupis;

‘Everyone has the right to live by the River Vilnele, and the River Vilnele has the right to flow by everyone.’

Quite a difference I’m sure you’ll agree.

Finding the secret Republic of Užupis - Lithuania

Finding the secret Republic of Užupis - Lithuania | Brendan Harding's Tr... http://brendanharding.blogspot.com/2013/07/finding-secret-republic-of...

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But where is this magic republic where even the rivers have rights?

No, it’s not some fabricated land from a Marx Brothers’ movie, or the imaginings of Jonathan Swift as an

island anchored off the coast of Lilliput. Užupis is a real place, with a real president and a very real constitution

.

But wait, before you go opening the index of your world atlas, or searching through the register of independent

states, be warned, you most probably won’t find it.

To find Užupis I took a flight to Lithuania’s second city, Kaunas. From there a bus whisked me through the early

summer greenery of the country’s flat landscape; past freshly turned fields where farmers ploughed the dark

earth, past orchards bursting with fruit blossom, past silent lakes whose flat calmness mirrored lazy white clouds,

past villages where the massed bundles of stork nests topped the highest chimneys, and past endless forests

which stretched as far as the eye could see until finally disgorging me in the country’s capital, Vilnius. For it is

here you will find Užupis.


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My guide was excited as she led me through the city’s winding streets. “We don’t want to be late,” she said

ignoring the churches, chapels, cathedrals, museums, galleries and theatres, brushing them aside with a

wave of her hand, “we’ll get back to them later”.

At the river we crossed a small wooden bridge and into the backyards of people’s homes. The houses were old

with flaking paint, some were run-down and badly in need of repair, others sported brand new modernist

extensions where wind mobiles hung spinning in the light breeze. The sound of a guitar slipped through an open

doorway, a child chased a small kitten and two old ladies sat on a bench shelling peas into a bucket. “This is

Užupis” my guide announced.

As we rounded a corner I could see a gathering of people. My guide smiled again, “Good, we’re in time”, she

said. I was bemused to say the least, even more so to see an Irish tricolour hanging from an open window next

to a white flag bearing the symbol of an open blue hand.

On a small stage a man stood testing a microphone, “Vienas, du, trys” the same the world over.

It was then I noticed the wall. Along its length a line of metal plaques, a metre high, reflected the images of the

gathered crown. The words on the plaques were written in a variety of languages: Lithuanian, English,

Hebrew, Arabic, Russian, Belarusian, Polish and many more. I was confused.

“Today,” my guide explained, “another plaque will be unveiled” she smiled brightly, “this time in Irish”. It must have

been the look on my face which prompted her to explain.

It appears that the area where I was standing was once one of the most neglected areas of Vilnius, full of run

down houses and inhabited by society’s most marginalised peoples. Since Lithuania’s declaration of

independence in 1990 the low/free rents of the area attracted artists and bohemians seeking a place to work

and live. It was from this community of ‘free-thinkers’ that the spirit of Užupis was born.

In 1997 the residents declared the area as the independent Republic of Užupis. They created a flag, their own

currency, elected a president and ministers, wrote a constitution and a national anthem and announced that from

that day onwards April 1st (April fool’s day) would be known as Užupis Day. The Republic of Užupis is not

recognised by any of the world’s governments, but perhaps that wasn’t the point of its creation.


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A diminutive lady dressed in a black trousers suit overheard my accent, “are you Irish?” she asked with a

northern Irish lilt. We spoke briefly; she told me her name was Philomena, I asked how long she’d been here,

she told me a little of the Irish community in the city and then she disappeared to mingle once again amongst the

crowd.


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After a speech by Romas Lileikis, the President of Užupis (and a film director and poet) called on the Irish

Ambassador to say a few words before unveiling the plaque. Philomena stepped onto the stage, Philomena

Murnaghan, the Irish Ambassador to Lithuania, the lady in the black suit. I replayed our conversation in my

head checking for any diplomatic faux pas I might have made, the last thing I wanted was to cause an

international incident on my first day in the city.

Ambassador Murnaghan made her speech and then aided by the President and Mayor unveiled the latest

version of the Užupis constitution written in the old Irish script. Several Irish residents read the constitution

line by line, each taking turns much to the joy of the assembled crowd. ‘Everyone has the right to be unique.

Everyone has the right to be happy. Everyone has the right to be unhappy. Everyone has the right to

understand. Everyone has the right to understand nothing...’

The atmosphere was fun and full of friendship and shed a new light for me on the Lithuanian people. As I crossed

back across the river towards the city centre I remembered the opening article from the Užupis constitution:

‘Everyone has the right to live by the River Vilnele, and the River Vilnele has the right to flow by everyone.’

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GETTING THERE

Ryanair fly directly to Kaunas and Vilnius – www.ryanair.com [http://www.ryanair.com]

STAYING THERE

Ramada Hotel & Suites Vilnius – a luxury hotel sited in an airy square close to all the city’s major attractions –

www.ramadavilnius.lt [http://www.ramadavilnius.lt]

EATING THERE

California Gourmet at the Ramada Hotel & Suites. The restaurant describes itself as serving American

Bourgeois cuisine. Fine international dining, tapas and bar snacks – www.californiagourmet.lt

[http://www.californiagourmet.lt]

Užupio Kavine – Užupio St. 2 Traditional Lithuanian cuisine by the banks of the Vilnia River –

www.zupiokavine.lt [http://www.zupiokavine.lt]

Forto Dvaras – Pilies St. 16 – Traditional Lithuanian cuisine served in the cellars of a city townhouse –

www.uzupiokavine.lt [http://www.uzupiokavine.lt]

The Old Green House – L. Stuokos Guceviciaus St. 5 – Sited in an old wooden house both the bar and

restaurant serve a variety of snacks plus local and international cuisine – www.oldgreenhouse.lt

[http://www.oldgreenhouse.lt]

FURTHER INFORMATION

Vilnius Tourist Board - www.vilnius-tourism.lt [http://www.vilnius-tourism.lt]

VILNIUS GALLERY


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Posted 12th July by Brendan Harding

Location: Vilnius, Lithuania

Labels: City Break, EU Presidency, Ireland, Lithuania, Travel Writing, Uzupis, Vilnius


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Finding the secret Republic of Užupis - Lithuania ... · island anchored off the coast of...

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