Manneken Pis, Brussels — Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

Manneken Pis is a tiny bronze statue of a naked boy urinating into a fountain basin, and it is, improbably, one of the most famous landmarks in Belgium. Standing just 55.5 centimetres tall at the corner of Rue de l'Etuve and Rue du Chene, it has been a symbol of Brussels' irreverent spirit for centuries. The current statue was designed by sculptor Jerome Duquesnoy the Elder and installed in 1619. There are several legends about its origin. One says a young boy saved Brussels from an enemy siege by urinating on a lit fuse connected to a gunpowder cache. Another claims a young lord was hung in a basket during a battle and urinated on the enemy below, inspiring his troops to victory. In reality, the statue originally served a practical purpose: it was a water distribution point, delivering drinking water to the neighbourhood. The statue has been stolen, damaged, and replaced multiple times. The original was removed in 1965 and placed in the Brussels City Museum for safekeeping. The statue on the street today is a replica. Manneken Pis has an extraordinary wardrobe. Since 1698, when the Governor of the Austrian Netherlands presented the statue with its first costume, the collection has grown to over 1,000 outfits. The statue is regularly dressed for holidays, national celebrations, and visiting dignitaries. The costume collection is displayed in the Manneken Pis Costume Museum nearby. If you're on a Questo quest through Brussels, Manneken Pis is a stop where the city's sense of humour has been running for 400 years.