Užupis is a free state, on the other side of the river Vilna in the Lithuanian capital. Its constitution guarantees man's right to individuality -- and a dog's right to be a dog, among other things.

In 1991, Lithuania declared its independence from the Soviet Union. Democratic elections, freedom to travel and the sky-rocketing development of the capital, Vilnius, followed.

One of the most prominent examples of this development is the city’s Užupis district. What was once a kind of slum, with high crime rates and prostitution is now a prospering artists’ district. But, as Eurovox found out when we visited, that is not what truly makes Užupis special.

Report: Victoria von Gottberg/Matt Herman