Manneken Pis
by Jérôme Duquesnoy the Elder, 1619
Details
- Year
- 1619
- Medium
- Bronze
- Size
- 61 cm (24 in) tall
Jérôme Duquesnoy the Elder cast this small bronze fountain in 1619, depicting a naked boy urinating into the basin below. Manneken Pis has become Brussels's most famous landmark, a symbol of the city's irreverent humor and independence. The tiny statue draws millions of visitors yearly.
Legends about the statue's origin abound. One claims a boy urinated on a burning fuse to save the city from explosion. Another involves a lost duke's son found relieving himself. The truth is simpler: Duquesnoy replaced an earlier stone figure that had served as a fountain since at least the 15th century. Public fountains featuring urinating figures were common in European cities.
The statue stands at the corner of Rue de l'Étuve and Rue du Chêne in central Brussels. It measures only 61 centimeters (two feet) tall, often surprising first-time visitors. The original is now in the Brussels City Museum; the street fountain is a replica. Manneken Pis owns over 1,000 costumes, donated by visiting dignitaries and organizations, and is regularly dressed for special occasions.
About Manneken Pis
Just 55.5 cm (about 22 inches) tall. It's one of the most famously underwhelming tourist sights in Europe. The tiny bronze statue of a boy urinating into a fountain basin sits at the corner of Rue de l'Étuve and Rue des Grands Carmes in Brussels, near the Grand Place.
The current bronze version was sculpted by Jérôme Duquesnoy the Elder in 1619. But records show a stone fountain with a similar figure existed at the same spot as early as 1388. The statue on display today is actually a replica installed in 1965. The 1619 original is kept in the Brussels City Museum.
He has a wardrobe of over 1,000 costumes donated by organizations and countries from around the world. The tradition started in the 17th century. He gets dressed up for holidays, national celebrations, and diplomatic occasions. His outfits are managed by a nonprofit and displayed in rotation at the Brussels City Museum.
Multiple times. The statue was stolen by English soldiers in 1745, by French soldiers in 1747, and taken during various other incidents. Each time, a new copy was made. The 1619 original survived until 1965, when it was moved indoors permanently. A brand new cast replaced it on the street.
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