Right in the center of Vilnius, there is an entire republic with its own signs of statehood: an anthem, a constitution, and even an army. How did it happen that the local authorities overlooked such a hotbed of separatism? v-nepriznannoj-respublike-uzhupis-kotoraja-nahoditsja-v-litve-b02a2ab.jpg” alt=””Lithuanian separatism” — how people live in the unrecognized republic of Uzhupis, which is located in Lithuania” />
< p class="article-render__block article-render__block_unstyled" data-points="7">In fact, everyone has long known about Uzhupis or the Republic of Zarechye, as it is usually called in Russian. This microstate was formed in 1998. Uzupis began simply as a quarter of artists, musicians and other creative people in the center of the Lithuanian capital.
But then they decided to create a whole state with all the necessary attributes: they wrote the Constitution, gathered several ministers into the government, and even elected a queen. However, the queen in Uzupis is constantly changing, and her main role is to sit beautifully on a makeshift throne.
One of the streets of Uzupis
The constitution of Užupis is based on three main precepts: do not win, do not defend and do not give up. If a person accepts these commandments, then he automatically becomes a citizen of Užupis, because there are no paper passports in the republic. The commandments can be interpreted in different ways, but, apparently, this is their charm: everyone decides for himself what exactly they mean.
Bus stop in Uzupis
In fact, Uzupis is just one of the central districts of Vilnius, but is it possible to get a stamp in the passport about crossing the border of one of the districts of the city? But in Uzupis you can do it, but only one day a year – on Independence Day on the first of April (symbolic, right?)
On this day, borders are set in Užupis, and representatives of the local army of twelve people stand at the checkpoint, strictly checking documents at the entrance to the republic.
The only principle of Užupis citizens is to be free and enjoy life. This is also evidenced by posters in the form of a merry man with a bottle of Coca-Cola in his hand (what do you think?), Dancing on the street.
Užupis is also a member of a real international organization – the Antarctic Union of Micronations. Along with the Grand Duchy of Vestarctica, the Pavlovsk Empire and the Federal Republic of Lostisland, Užupis decides important matters in the international arena and even almost seriously claims part of the territories in Antarctica.
Under the bridge that separates Užupis from the rest of Vilnius, there is such a colorful rocker
"Suffer nonsense. They have nothing to do but play with toys. Better go to work."
Surely someone will have exactly this opinion about Užupis. And yes, Užupis will never become a real state, but it does not have such a goal. This whole republic is a product of the imagination of creative people, a creative performance in which one should not look for a double bottom.
People just live and do what what they like. If they want – they draw pictures, if they want – they play in the republic. I personally don't see anything wrong with that.
Would you like to become a virtual citizen of Užupis?)