More Art, More Lithuanian Food

The weather doesn’t improve, so we walk up and down the old town again on the next day inspite of the grey sky. We pay the “Republic of Užupis”  another visit. The quarter Užupis  (meaning beyond the river, in this case the Vilnia, the smaller one of Vilnius’ both rivers) used to be a really run-down neighborhood . After the independence many young people, especially artists moved there due to the low rents and independence was declared on April 1^st 1997. In many respects this is obviously 15 years are sufficient for gentrification to kick in, the usual development. In summer the atmosphere is probably more tangible. Anyway, lots of unrestrained open air art, a backpacker-Jesus by the riverside and especially the constitution put up on mirrors in many languages along one street give me an idea of this strange little republic’s soul. While the display of artistic and general freedom here feels playful to me, Užupis also seems to hold strong connections with Tibet, a place where freedom is not a matter of play up till today. There is a square dedicated to Tibet’s freedom, symbolized by colorful wooden birds and prayer flags in the trees, and there is a version of the constitution in some language I’m sure is Tibetan.

Another street (on “this” side of the river) with walls decorated all over is the Literatu gatve (Literates’ street)  which carries symbols, pictures or quotes of important writers, most of them Lithuanian, but some internationals like Günter Grass and Jean Paul Sartre have made it here, too. But it seems to be a general feature of this city. There are artworks integrated into many buildings and streets, many renovated buildings deliberately display patches that function as windows onto what they used to look like earlier.

 Literatu gatve

A museum is a nice opportunity to avoid occasional rain, the exhibition of the treasures of a Russian fashion collector illustrates how there is not too much new in the fashion you see today, at least outside the most extravagant designers’ shows. Especially the 1960’s dresses would be very wearable 50 years later.

After a lunch of fried Lithuanian cheese we meet Virginija to visit some other parts of the Old Town and even the sun shines for a while. The Gate of Dawn is the last remaining gate and holds a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. With the light colors and the golden adornments I think it really fits is name.

 

 

On the following walk Virginija shows us many small places we might not have noticed otherwise.

Like a cellar pub selling beer of many different small Lithuanian breweries.

Like a center founded by a couple returned from exile who dedicated their lives to Lithuanian traditional arts, especially weaving. There are woven skirts characteristic for every district in the country. The center teaches the art of weaving to children, reproduces old material and develops modern applications of the old art that requires so much patience.
Like the quite recent frescos in a part of the University that are impressive in their color of dark red and black and in the strength of Lithuanian myths forcefully present still in the late 20^th century and up to this day.
And we visit a friend of Viginija's who is the librarian at a newly founded modern arts' center. Art is really alive in this city.

We finish the day at a restaurant specializing on traditional Lithuanian food. The rooms are decorated with old furniture and kitchen appliances and are named after different regions. We eat Cepelinai, heavy filled potato dumplings in the form of a Zeppelin. Delicious and very nourishing, the right thing after a long sightseeing day.