What if I told you the story of Brussels’s oldest citizen starts not with a grand palace, but with a little boy. I will tell you about the Manneken Pis. This little bronze statue is more than just a fountain. It is a symbol of Brussels itself.
Since the 15th century, a fountain stood at the corner of Rue de l’Etuve and Rue du Chêne. A little boy stood above it. He was urinating into the fountain. In 1619, Jèrôme Duquesnoy was entrusted with creating a new statue for this fountain.
The Manneken Pis has become Brussels’s oldest citizen. Archives show he served as a public fountain as early as 1388. The bronze statue we know today was installed in 1619. Before that, he was made of stone.
There is more than one legend about Manneken Pis. He was once also known as Petit Julien. The most famous legend claims the statuette depicts a young boy. He saved Brussels from disaster. The enemy was at the gates ready to bring down the city walls with gunpowder. A little boy happened to be around. He desperately needed to relieve himself. In doing so he extinguished the fuse.
Another legend says that a little boy emptied his bladder against a witch’s door. The furious hag wanted to cast an instant hex. She wanted to damn the kid to stay in that compromising stance forever. A brave bystander replaced the boy with a statue. He foiled the evil crone. The statue has continued what the little boy started ever since.
Manneken Pis sometimes sports a special costume. On the day celebrating the freedom of the press he dresses as a reporter. This tradition goes back to 1698. Maximilian II Emmanuel gave him his first set of clothes. He was the Governor of the Spanish Netherlands. In 1747, King Louis XV gave him a garb of brocade. Manneken Pis has regularly received new outfits ever since. He now has over 800 outfits.
The Manneken Pis has been stolen many times. Thankfully, the statue has always been found. After it was stolen for the last time in 1966, the city authorities placed the original statue in the Brussels City Museum. A copy now stands proudly above the fountain.
You can admire the statuette’s outfits at the GardeRobe MannekenPis. It is located a stone’s throw from the fountain. He has more than 1000 outfits.
Manneken Pis even urinates beer or wine. He does this to mark some very special occasions. So next time you see the Manneken Pis, remember he is more than a statue. He is a symbol of Brussels’s history. He is also a symbol of its humour. He is a symbol of its resilience.