30.1.09

Užupis - o anjo ou o ovo?

Užupis is a is a district of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. Its name means "on the other side of a river"; that river is the Vilnia River which gave Vilnius its name. The region has been popular with artists for some time, and is often compared with Montmartre in Paris. The district houses art galleries, artists' workshops, and popular cafés. The district declared itself an independent republic (the Republic of Užupis) in 1997.

On April 4th 2001, a statue of an angel blowing a trumpet was unveiled in the main square. It is intended to symbolize the revival and artistic freedom of the district.
Before the permanent angel sculpture was put in place, a temporary sculpture of an egg stood as a placeholder. The egg itself became the subject of much talk, and various anecdotes are attached to it. After being removed to make way for the larger statue, the egg was sold in an auction for 10,200 litas

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