"Everyone has a right to live by the River Vilnelé, and the River Vilnelé has a right to flow by everyone." So begins the official constitution of the tiny Republic of Užupis. Founded by artists and dreamers, the 148 acre enclave is located within the city of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.
Užupis officially declared itself a republic in 1997. Its constitution contains 39 articles, including "A dog has the right to be a dog." Užupis also has its own flag, currency, government, national anthem, minuscule army, and occasionally stamps passports.
When my husband and I visited the Republic in the summer of 2012, we tried our best to look nonchalant as we searched Užupis for what we had heard was a "secret sculpture garden of penises." We couldn't find it. But we did find a stack of debris that upon closer inspection included disassembled penis sculptures! If the sculpture garden will one day be reassembled must remain a mystery until our next visit.
Užupis officially declared itself a republic in 1997. Its constitution contains 39 articles, including "A dog has the right to be a dog." Užupis also has its own flag, currency, government, national anthem, minuscule army, and occasionally stamps passports.
When my husband and I visited the Republic in the summer of 2012, we tried our best to look nonchalant as we searched Užupis for what we had heard was a "secret sculpture garden of penises." We couldn't find it. But we did find a stack of debris that upon closer inspection included disassembled penis sculptures! If the sculpture garden will one day be reassembled must remain a mystery until our next visit.
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