Gentrification in Vilnius (Lithuania): the Example of Uzupis Standl, Harald; Krupickaitė, Dovilė
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www.ssoar.info Gentrification in Vilnius (Lithuania): the example of Uzupis Standl, Harald; Krupickaitė, Dovilė Veröffentlichungsversion / Published Version Zeitschriftenartikel / journal article Empfohlene Zitierung / Suggested Citation: Standl, H., & Krupickaitė, D. (2004). Gentrification in Vilnius (Lithuania): the example of Uzupis. Europa Regional, 12.2004(1), 42-51. https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-48092-5 Nutzungsbedingungen: Terms of use: Dieser Text wird unter einer Deposit-Lizenz (Keine This document is made available under Deposit Licence (No Weiterverbreitung - keine Bearbeitung) zur Verfügung gestellt. Redistribution - no modifications). We grant a non-exclusive, non- Gewährt wird ein nicht exklusives, nicht übertragbares, transferable, individual and limited right to using this document. persönliches und beschränktes Recht auf Nutzung dieses This document is solely intended for your personal, non- Dokuments. 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Gentrification in Vilnius (Lithuania) – the example of Užupis .. HARALD STANDL and DOVILE KRUPICKAITE Introduction “With the fall of the iron curtain and the economic liberalization that fol- lowed, gentrification has also become a feature of eastern European cities Neris …” (LEES 2000, p. 390), but in the Location of the Old Town meantime, not much research has of Vilnius and of Uzupis been done to analyse the process, and publications on this topic are still rare. However, due to the studies prepared, V iln for example by HARDTH, HERLYN and ia SCHELLER (1996), WEISKE (1996) or HERFERT (2003), the knowledge of t changes in some East German cities is e e r t quite good. The fieldwork for this s s street e io research-project on Vilnius was done i up l i Uz in July and August 2003 with the help P of students at Vilnius University, Dept. of Geography and supervised by the authors. Approx. 260 house- holds were interviewed in two differ- ent parts of the historical centre of Vilnius (see Map 1), especially in the middle-age suburb of Užupis (200 interviews). The control-area (60 in- terviews) is located in the Old Town, east of Pilies (Castle) street. The questions focused on living-conditions of the inhabitants and on recent socio- economic changes. Due to the fact that each point can not be presented Old Town of Vilnius in detail, this paper will show the Area of former castles Uzupis (main research area) main trends occurring in Užupis, with Old Town area compared Boundary of the World Heritage Site to Uzupis specific reference to those trends in Boundary of the Old Town (formerly fortified) the centre of the Old Town of Vilnius, Main historic routes River 0 500m IfL 2004 providing that extreme structural dif- Cartography: H.Steffgen-Belz, R.Bräuer ferences can be observed. The main goal is two-fold: 1) To determine if Map 1: Location of the Old Town of Vilnius and of Užupis gentrification has already started and Source: Vilnius Old Town Revitalisation... 2003 2) to analyse what stage of develop- ment has been achieved in restructur- sovereignties, inviting merchants, crafts- until the merger of Lithuania and ing the historical part of the Lithua- men and representatives of the Catho- Poland in 1569. “After the Great Fire of nian capital twelve years after Lithua- lic Church to Vilnius, to build up a 1471 new streets were built and in nia gained independence from the town next to his newly founded castle. 1503 - 1522 a five gate defence wall Soviet Union. In fact, the number of inhabitants in was erected, enclosing the most dense- Vilnius increased rapidly, especially ly populated part of the city and History of the Old Town of Vilnius after the final defeat of the Livonian protecting it from possible Tartar inva- The name of Vilnius was first men- (German) Order in 1410, which led to sions.” (Vilnius Old Town Revitalisa- tioned in 1323 in a letter written by the long-lasting political stability and tion … 2003, p. 5). The area south of Gediminas, the Grand Duke of Lithua- rise of Lithuania as a leading power in the Vilnia and Neris confluence cov- nia, addressed to European cities and Eastern Europe. Vilnius was its capital ered 300 ha. In 1579, the Vilnius 42 EUROPA REGIONAL 12(2004)1 University was established, which still 1959, 1972 - 1974 and 1988 - 1992), tion of these buildings was often in dominates the northern part of the only small amounts of money were extreme disrepair, they nevertheless Old Town (west of Pilies street). Al- invested for repairs such as patching often stood under protection as histor- though Vilnius had lost its political roofs and walls or repairing windows ical monuments or ensembles and power to Warsaw, it had developed and doors. In the beginning of the could not be torn down. Hence, at the into a cultural centre of the large 1990s, most of the buildings in the Old beginning of 1996 nearly 120 buildings Middle and North European Region, Town of Vilnius, which had been remained unused and in disrepair in famous for its religious tolerance and nationalized or expropriated during the Old Town, (i. e. without windows, diversity. Besides the community of Soviet time, were in deplorable sani- doors or a waterproof roof). In the the Catholic Church (and the Jesuit tary condition or even uninhabitable. meantime, a large number could be Order), the Jewish community was What happened to the real estate renovated (partly by using foreign most active. At the end of the 19th in 1991, the year of national indepen- loans) under supervision of the mu- century, approx. 100 synagogues and dence? Although a restitution law was nicipality and sold afterwards to in- religious schools existed in Vilne (the passed on June 18, giving those vestors. As a result, the central part of Jiddish name for Vilnius). The town individuals who had up-to-date Lithua- the Old Town (around Pilies street as was first called “The Jerusalem of the nian nationality and a permanent the main N-S-axis) underwent a fast North” by Napoleon, as the legend residency the chance to lay appropri- economic revitalisation during the says, on his campaign to Russia. The ate claims to regain illegitimately lost mid 1990s (STANDL 2002, 2003), boost- majority of inhabitants spoke Polish titles, less than 200 residential build- ed by a growing number of interna- and lived in quite poor circumstances. ings were returned to their former tional tourists visiting the impressive During the 18th century, the small class owners in Vilnius (STANDL 2002). In churches and profound buildings with of rich aristocrats donated money for most cases, only various churches their magnificent courtyards. erecting impressive churches, built in could gain beneficence from this kind Baroque style. After the third and last of restitution of property rights. Fur- Some special aspects of the medieval division of the Lithuanian-Polish state thermore, the Lithuanian legislation suburb Užupis in 1795, the majority of Lithuania went invoked extensive exceptions as well Užupis is the oldest suburb of Vilnius, to Russia and Vilnius became a prov- as requirements in order to provide located on a hill east of the (formerly) ince-centre ruled by a General Gover- restitution by national compensatory walled Old Town. The picturesque nor. Shortly thereafter (in 1799 - 1805), payments. But most of the buildings relief was formed by a meandering of the defence wall and its gates were underwent the so-called ‘Mass Privati- the small river called Vilnia. Histori- destroyed. But the most harmful peri- sation’, under the “Law on Privatisa- ans believe that Užupis had already od for the town was during World War tion of Flats” (May 28, 1991). In the existed as a settlement long ago, but II. Under Nazi-German occupation, course of this extremely accelerated the suburb was first mentioned in the two large ghettos were established and privatisation process the past tenants 15th century in a foundation-docu- subsequently destroyed in 1943 when, were shifted into an unprecedented ment of a monastery. The special during the Holocaust, their inhabitants state of legal affairs. So-called ‘Invest- location of Užupis, separated from the were killed in the surrounding forests. ment Cheques’, distributed for free to lower Old Town by the river, but The genocide served to drastically the inhabitants of Lithuania by the connected by two, and later, three influence the urban structure of the state, could be used to acquire new bridges leading to two different town Old Town. After the occupation by the dwellings at a relatively inexpensive gates, resulted in a relatively different Soviet army and the integration of price. After privatisation, the new socio-economic development in a Lithuania into the USSR, Vilnius be- owners were then allowed complete unique (sub-)urban structure. The main came the capital of a newly created freedom to decide on the use of their street-axis (in direction W-E), today Soviet Republic. But due to the fact new dwelling, including options to known as Užupio und Polocko street, that the Jewish community had been rent, lease or even resell the dwelling.