Uhupis

Uzupis is a small and isolated area. On the one hand, it is separated from the Old Town by the river Vilenka ( Vilnale ), on the other hand there are steep hills, and on the third - an industrial zone built in Soviet times . In the 16th century , the first bridges over the river were built. The quarter was inhabited mainly by artisans . Since the end of the 19th century, military and small-scale employees began to settle in Zarechye, but the majority of the inhabitants were the urban poor .

From one of the bridges over Vilenka ( Bernardinųtiltas Bernardine ), begins Malunu street ( Malūnų g. , Ul. Młynowa ), which was named after the royal mills that once stood on it. The entire left side of the short street is occupied by the building (132 meters long ^[1] ) of the former “riverine” Bernardine monastery (founded in 1495 by Barbara Radziwill and Anna Olehnovich ; the current building was erected after the fire of 1794 caused by the bombing). Upon the abolition of the monastery in 1864, the tsarist authorities made barracks in it, from 1876 until the First World War the building belonged to the Orthodox Holy Spirit Brotherhood . In the period between the world wars, the apartments of the former monastery housed residential apartments for civil servants; in 1934-1936 Here lived the Polish poet Constant Galchinsky . Now in the building of the former monastery private apartments.

In the summer, an exhibition of famous Lithuanian photographers ^[2] organized by Alexandra Divova ^[3] takes place on the street wall of the monastery. The exhibition is updated every two weeks, among the participants in 2015 are Marius Abramavichus , Max Fry , national prize winner Algirdas Sheskus ^[4] and others.

Malunu street goes to Užupё street (Zarechnaya, Užupio g. , Ul. Zarzeczna ) at its widest point and to the intersection with Paupio street ( Paupio g. , Ul. Popławska ). Užupё Street is expanding significantly in this place, the explanation for this is that there used to be a small church of Peter and Paul, which burned down in 1610 and was not restored; in the middle of the XVII century a cross was erected in its place, in the middle of the XIX century a pseudo-Gothic chapel was built , destroyed after the Second World War . For some time a water pump stood on the remaining low elevation, now in the same place stands a column with the Uzhupsky angel. The intersection leads to Užupё street, starting after another, second bridge at Vilenka ( Zarechny bridge , Užupio tiltas ), opposite the monument to Mieczyslaw Dordzik .

A significant area on the corner of Zarechnaya and Poplavskaya streets is occupied by an impressive palace of strict classicist forms. The palace was built at the end of the 18th century according to the design of the architect Augustin Kossakovsky and was rebuilt at the beginning of the 19th century . Since 1840, it belonged to various institutions and owners, it housed a hotel, inn, bakery. In 1863, the palace passed to the Gonest family, which was owned by it until 1940 , due to which its name ( pałac Honestich ) was fixed , in 1877 it was reconstructed. Today, a part of the first floor of the palace is occupied by a grocery store.

From it, the winding Poplavskaya street (Paupё) leads to another, third Poplavsky bridge on Vilenka. On the wall along Paupo Street, tables with the Constitution of the Republic of Uzupis are installed.

Along Zarechnaya Street, east of the gate, on the right side, is the church of St. Bartholomew . Behind it, at a small park that once had a market, the street bifurcates into Polocko ( Polocko g. ) And Krivuų ( Krivių g. ) On the Polotsk street was located the Research Institute of Oncology. A well-known oncologist, professor at the University of Stefan Batory Casimir Pelchar (shot by German occupiers in Ponar ) worked here.

The old Batory path to Polotsk began from Polotsk Street, and now it goes to Belmontas and Stepono Batoro g. Leading to New Vilna . The first right turn on Polotsk by a short street вvirgždino ( Žvirgždyno g. ) Leads to the Bernardine cemetery .

Until 1915, Krivu Street was called Popovsky Lane and past the mountain of the Gediminas grave , where, according to legend, the Grand Duke of Lithuania was burnt, led to Golenderskaya Street (now Olandų ) and Antakalnis . Ponomarsky Lane (now Filaretu , Filaretų ) branched off to the right from Popovsky Lane.

Since Soviet times, many famous people have lived or had their own workshops in Uzhupis. The long-term mayor of Vilnius Arturas Zuokas lives in Užupis and takes part in some events taking place there ^[5] .

The symbol of Užupis is an angel , since a monument depicting a trumpeting angel was erected in the main square. The bronze sculpture is mounted on a column 8.5 meters high. The column was installed in 2001 . Initially, a huge egg rested on it, sold in March 2002 at an auction organized by the Užupis Angel Club. On April 1, 2002, the sculpture installed there was inaugurated on the column (silver-plated and gilded bronze, total height 12.50 m <); the authors of the monument are sculptor Romas Vilčiauskas and architect Algirdas Umbrasas ^[5] . Funds for the construction of the monument (about half a million litas ) were donated by individuals and companies. The angel symbolizes the revival and artistic freedom of the quarter.

In 1996 , a group of artists founded the "Center for Alternative Art" here, in the same year the first art exhibitions and public events were organized and held there. Later, the quarter became the home of many artists and artists, the area became known as the “Vilnius Montmartre”. Having heard about a similar phenomenon, representatives of the French Montmartre visited the city (now a symbolic tablet indicates the friendship and cooperation of both). In 1998, residents of the quarter proclaimed the Republic of Uzupis with their own flag, president, constitution, and even an army of 12. They celebrate the semi-joke Independence Day, April 1 .

Now Uzupis has its own currency , anthem , customs , honorary citizens , ambassadors and consuls in 320 cities of the world, elections and carnivals .

Honorary Citizens of the Republic of Uzupis

• Jonas Mekas ^[5]

• Independent Republic of Greenwich Village

• Official website of the Uzhupis Republic
• The Republic of Užupis // vilnius-tourism.lt (English)
• About Uzupis on Privet-Litva.ru
• How they do it in Uzupis // strana.lenta.ru
• The patrimony of free artists: Uzupis celebrated Independence Day // Sputnik , 2.04.2019