Manneken Pis

The story behind the Manneken Pis

 If you’re ever in Brussels, make sure to say hi to one of Belgium’s most notable landmarks, Manneken Pis (“Little man Pee”). As the name suggests, it is a little boy peeing into a fountain, and records show that he has been around since 1388. 

 Back then, he was a stone statue serving as a public fountain, but that statue was either destroyed or stolen at some point. The Manneken Pis we know today was designed and installed by Flemish sculptor Jerome Duquesnoy in 1619.

There are quite a few legends surrounding the origins of the sculpture. The most famous one tells of a little boy who saved Brussels when it was under siege. He did this by peeing on the fuse when the enemy was trying to blow up the city walls. 

Another legend says that the statue is actually of Duke Godfrey III of Leuven when he was two years old. According to the story, during a battle, his troops placed him in a basket and hung it up a tree. From there, he peed on the enemy, who eventually lost the fight.

Nowadays, the statue is one of the city’s main tourist attractions, and you will often see Manneken Pis sporting a little costume. 
That’s because it has been a tradition ever since the 18th century to dress him up in fancy clothes. He receives new clothes all the time, and his wardrobe currently holds over 900 suits.