St Anne’s Church and Užupis Travel Guide
Napoleon Bonaparte, who stayed in Vilnius briefly during his ill-fated campaign against Russia in 1812, is said to have been so impressed by St Anne’s Church (Šv. Onos Bažnyčia), on Maironio gatvė, that he wanted to take it back to Paris on the palm of his hand. Studded with skeletal, finger-like towers, its facade overlaid with intricate brick traceries and fluting, this late sixteenth-century structure is the finest Gothic building in the capital. Just south of St Anne’s a bridge over the River Vilnia forms the border of the self-declared independent republic of Užupis, home to a flourishing population of artists, bohemians and yuppies (note the locks on the bridge: lovers fasten them here and then throw the key in the river to symbolize their union). Stroll up from Užupio Café across the bridge to see the psychedelic art gallery with weird and wonderful creations suspended above the river. Some of the buildings here are in dire need of repair, but there is a trendy feel to the area.
Vilnius
- Cathedral Squarechevron_right
- Gediminas Castle and Museumchevron_right
- The Lithuanian National Museumchevron_right
- The National Art Gallerychevron_right
- The Old Townchevron_right
- St Anne’s Church and Užupischevron_right
- Town Hall Square and aroundchevron_right
- Jewish Museumchevron_right
- Frank Zappa statuechevron_right
- Gedimino prospektas and the Genocide Museumchevron_right
- Trakaichevron_right
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