Uzupis is a district of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania partially located in the Old Town,
a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Its name means "on the other side of a river."
That river is the Vilnia River which gave Vilnius its name.
It is often compared to Montmartre in Paris.
Today the district houses art galleries, artist workshops, and popular cafes.

An angel has become a symbol of Uzupis on April 4, 2001,
when a statue was uncovered in the main square.
The sculpture depicts an angel blowing a trumpet and symbolizes revival and artistic freedom of the district. Sometimes Uzupis republic is also called Republic of Angels.

The residents have declared a tongue-in-cheek Republic of Uzupis
with its own flag, president, constitution, and even an army of 12 men.
They celebrate this half-serious independence in annual Uzupis Day on April Fool's Day.
That day Uzupis has its own currency, customs, elections, and carnivals.
Artists are trying to create a sense of community through art and celebration.
President of the Republic of Uzupis is a poet, musician and film director Romas Lileikis.
The first initiative undertaken by the community was building a monument for Frank Zappa .