Uzupis, aka The Republic of Angels, is the land of art

After the fall of the Soviet Union, Lithuania was a free country, and in Uzupis, after the statues of Lenin came falling down, up came the statue of Frank Zappa. This is the astonishing story of UNESCO World Heritage Site destination, Uzupis, the land of creative freedom.
While rediscovering itself after the fall of communism, and trying to get away from the tag of communism, artists here filled the vacuum with art, and it created the bizarre, yet beautiful neighbourhood of Uzupis. Located in Vilnius, Lithuania, Uzupis translates to “beyond the river,” fortifying its already nearly-utopian image. Find out what it stands for, and why it is so special.

The constitution of Uzupis
At the very start, the most interesting bit of information to know about this neighbourhood here is that it has its own constitution. Known as the Republic of Uzupis, this self-declared country is run by artists, and so its constitution is an astounding piece of work. Some of the laws in the constitution include –

· Everyone has the right to love
· Everyone has the right to be happy
· A dog has the right to be a dog
· Everyone has the right to be idle
· Everyone may share what they possess
· Everyone is independent
· Everyone has the right to be of any nationality

And so on...

Dreaming big

The first thing you will notice here is that street art is as common as street lamps, and bohemian lifestyle is the order of the day. Frank Zappa enjoys a central position in the city, and his statue replaced that of Vladimir Lenin’s. Most buildings are crumbling though, due to the lack of restoration facilities, and the rent is amazingly cheap. Uzupis has a total of 120 residents, living in an area of 148 acres, and has a bishop, their own President, two churches, and even an embassy in Russia.

Right in the centre of Uzupis, you will find the statue of an angel, also known as the Angel of Uzipis, which has become the symbol of the tiny republic. If you are an artist or love the bohemian lifestyle, then utopia is here in the Uzupis, also known as the Republic of Angels.