The Angel of Užupis is the bronze angel blowing a trumpet on a tall column in the main square of Užupis, the artists' quarter just across the Vilnia river from Vilnius Old Town. It was unveiled on 1 April 2002 to mark the fifth birthday of the Republic of Užupis, a tongue-in-cheek state the district declared in 1997. Before the angel arrived, its place was held by a giant egg.
The Angel of Užupis at a glance
- Where: the main square of Užupis, where Užupio, Malūnų and Paupio streets meet, a few minutes' walk across the Vilnia from the Old Town.
- Created: unveiled on 1 April 2002, Užupis Independence Day.
- By: the sculptor Romas Vilčiauskas.
- What it is today: the symbol of Užupis, standing on a pedestal about 8.5 metres high, with a drinking fountain at its foot.
- Time needed: 10 minutes for the statue, an hour or more to wander the district.
From riverside district to self-declared republic
Užupis means beyond the river in Lithuanian, and for centuries this was the poorer side of the Vilnia, a district of small workshops and old houses. In the 1990s artists and musicians were drawn to its cheap, crumbling buildings, and on 1 April 1997 the residents declared the Republic of Užupis, with its own president, flag and constitution. The date, April Fools' Day, was no accident: the republic is a joke taken seriously, a celebration of creativity and independence of mind.
The angel was meant to be ready for the republic's fifth anniversary. When the sculptor missed the deadline, an egg was placed on the pedestal, and the community was told the angel would soon hatch. The angel finally rose on 1 April 2002, paid for by selling miniature copies and dedicated to the memory of Zenonas Šteinys, an animator and caricaturist close to the district. The egg was later auctioned for 10,200 litas and now stands on Pylimo Street in the city centre.
What to look for
- The trumpet: the angel blows its horn to announce the revival of the district and its artistic freedom.
- The column: the angel stands high above the square, so step back across the square to see it against the sky.
- The drinking fountain at the base, a handy stop on a warm day.
- The streets fanning out from the square: Užupio, Malūnų and Paupio, with galleries, workshops and street art.
The constitution of Užupis
A few steps from the angel, on Paupio Street, the constitution of the republic is fixed to a wall on plaques in dozens of languages. It was written by the poet and film-maker Romas Lileikis and his friend Thomas Chepaitis, and its 38 articles mix wisdom with nonsense: Everyone has the right to live by the River Vilnelė, and the River Vilnelė has the right to flow by everyone. A dog has the right to be a dog. A cat is not obliged to love its owner, but must help in time of need. It ends with three mottos: Don't fight, Don't win, Don't surrender. The republic's flag shows an open palm whose colour changes with the seasons.
Tips for your visit
- Come on 1 April for Užupis Independence Day, when the republic celebrates at the foot of the angel.
- Arrive on foot over the Užupis bridge from the Old Town side, past St Anne's Church: it is the shortest and prettiest way in.
- Walk the district slowly in the morning or late afternoon: Užupis is a lived-in neighbourhood, so keep noise down in the side streets.
Nearby
- The Užupis Mermaid: a bronze mermaid by the same sculptor, set into the riverbank wall below the Užupis bridge, with lovers' padlocks on the railings above.
- The Constitution wall on Paupio Street: two minutes from the square, with the plaques in many languages.
- St Anne's Church: the late Gothic brick church just across the river, one of the most photographed buildings in Vilnius.
- Bernardine Cemetery: one of the oldest cemeteries in the city, on the slopes above the Vilnia at the edge of Užupis.
See Vilnius with World City Trail
Our Vilnius scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around 3 hours, with about 58 minutes of walking. It includes the Gate of Dawn, Town Hall Square and Literatų Street. You can play in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Dutch.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Vilnius.
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Facts checked in October 2026.