Case Studies   Vilnius Old Town: Užupis – Paupys Area Case study

Introduction

Užupis and Paupys area is a part of Vilnius historic city center registered as UNESCO World Heritage Site in December 1994. Since 1998 very intensive regeneration of Vilnius Old Town commenced on the lookout for to improve general image of Lithuanian capital city and, consequently, the whole country. Renovation and restoration works started in 1997 were focused on public spaces - main streets and squares jointly with the exteriors of surrounding buildings. In a course of 1998 – 2001 the historic core of the Old Town appeared most impressive and visited area of Vilnius. This engrossed attention and arrival of substantial private investments as well as radical activation of economic and social life in the Old Town.

Unfortunately, being out-of-the-way from the main streets and attractive parts of the Old Town Užupis and Paupys area remained nearly unaffected. But unlike the renovated part of the Old Town Užupis and Paupys have a young and vibrant community which settled here in 1990 – 2000 because of exciting historic environment and squalid but low price immovable property.

Užupis and Paupys area intentionally was selected as the study area for ENTRUST project because of following factors:

• most derelict part of the Old Town having/ needed wide (re-) development potentials

• historic area (part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site) under the intensive physical restoration and renewal

• changing and most socially vital community in the whole city: relatively young, vibrant, creative and ambitious

• intensive transition of urban economic and social intercourses within specific urban environment

Table of contents     1. GENERAL INDICATIONS. 1.1. Type of the area