The Republic of Uzupis
For a good year before traveling to Lithuania, we watched a travel program on TV that featured the city of Vilnius. We got ideas and information as to which sights to see and attractions to visit. The Republic of Uzupis was one of the places featured. Given that its inhabitants considered it an independent republic, our interest was piqued. We were game and definitely into increasing our country count, especially since it was close to where we were going. Truth of the mater is, it is not an independent state (YET) nor is it officially recognized as one by the United Nations. It really is a bohemian section of Vilnius, full of artists, galleries, and art. Some people liken it to Paris' Montmartre area.
At the Republic of Uzupis
The Angel Statue in the tiny Republic of Uzupis
The Angel Statue in Uzupis
In the Republic of Uzupis
A scene in the tiny Republic of Uzupis right by a creek
A local Uzupis scene
Art is everywhere is the tiny Republic of Uzupis
A statue of a nude lady in the tiny Republic of Uzupius
Art, art, art everywhere in Uzupis
An art gallery in Uzupis
An abandoned building near the Republic of Uzupis
We visited Uzupis on two separate occasions. We went there on a Friday and a Saturday. We saw most of it on our first visit but we had to return and we looked for the place where we could have our passports stamped to commemorate our visit. On the Saturday we went, we saw wedding celebrations in many churches.
This group of people were celebrating the matrimony of a Lithuanian couple on the bridge that connected UZUPIS to the main part of Vilnius.
Everywhere we went all over the Baltics, many bridges had locks on them representing the love couples professed for each other. As is customary, the key is thrown to the river never to be retrieved again for the lock signifies eternal love never to be broken, ever. This lock was attached to the bridge leading to UZUPIS.
A mermaid right above the river by the tiny Independent Republic of Uzupis
