Manneken Pis Makes Tourists Smile
What is Manneken Pis? Manneken Pis (dutch for 'little pee man') and also known as 'Petit Julien' in french, is a 61 centimeter (24-inch) bronze fountain sculpture of a naked boy urinating into the fountain's basin. He enjoys a colorful if not confused history and has more outfits than Imelda Marcos has shoes.  The Origin of Mannekin PisHistory tells us that in the 15th century there was a fountain called “Manneken-Pis” about a hundred yards from the Grand Place. In August of 1619, sculptor Jerome Duquesnoy was commissioned by the city to sculpt a new bronze statue of a Manneken-Pis to replace an old statue. Voila, today's Manneken Pis in all of his glory. The little tike has survived nearly 400 years of trials and tribulations, having been stolen by prankster students, looted by invaders, and in war time, hidden during bombing raids. Even after all that, he remains Belgium's best-dressed boy with a wardrobe of more than 800 costumes including outfits giving nods to: Napolean, the Boy Scouts, Saint Nicholas and even Elvis. Costumes are kept in the King's House, now the City Museum at the Grand-Place. The Legends of Mannekin Pis Although no one really knows the true story that inspired Manneken Pis, rumors abound. One such story recounts that he was a little boy who tried to douse a fire in the city with the only weapon he had at hand. Another story claims he was the the lost son of a visiting merchant, who upon learning that the boy was found urinating in the garden, had a statue sculpted to thank the citizens for finding his son. Yet another favorite but unlikely tale claims the status commemorates Duke Godfrey III of Leuven, a two-year-old lord who in 1142 had troops battling armies of the Berthouts, the lords of Grimbergen. It is said that the little two-year-old lord was placed in a basket hung in a tree to encourage the troops to fight for him. From there, he urinated on the troops of the Berthouts, who eventually lost the battle. Inspiring The Whimsical Fact or folklore notwithstanding, stories that are true and add to the mischievous nature of Belgian's favorite boy include the following: 1. From time to time, the statue is connected to a keg of beer and the little guy fills cups of beer for the tourists and well-wishers. 2. Explore the many souvenir shops near the Grand Place and you'll find Manneken memorabilia including our personal favorite: the corkscrew! Key rings, postcards and chocolates are also available.
3. For those demanding equal rights there is also 'Jeanneke Pis' (see photo at right), Manneken Pis' female counterpart located on the east side of the Impasse de la Fidélité/Getrouwheidsgang (Fidelity Alley), a 30-meter dead-end street off the 'restaurant alley' Rue des Bouchers/Beenhouwersstraat. Return from Manneken Pis |
