Manneken Pis

You have now reached the most famous resident of Brussels: Manneken Pis. The original of the present bronze statue dates back to 1619. This statue is now safely in the House of Bread. The boy that you are looking at dates to 1965. The statuette has frequently been stolen. Since Manneken Pis is and was immensely popular among the inhabitants of Brussels, stealing it was equivalent to a declaration of war. When the statue was stolen in 1965, it was broken to just below the knee. Months later, the top piece was found in the Brussels canal, but by then a new one had already been cast. The original was put back together and moved to the House of Bread.

In the past, French soldiers have stolen the statue on two occasions. The Brussels residents did not think that it was funny. Upon returning the statue, the French offered to dub it a Knight of the Order of Saint Louis, by way of apology. But a naked, peeing boy cannot be dubbed a knight. So the little statue got its first real outfit. And many more outfits would follow. On the left of the picture, you can find his costume agenda. In the House of Bread, you can find his entire wardrobe.

Manneken Pis is the subject of many legends. The most famous is perhaps the boy that saved the city of Brussels from a huge fire. Brussels was once again under siege, but after brave resistance by the population of Brussels, the besiegers gave up. The inhabitants of Brussels immediately decided to celebrate. They did not realize that the besiegers were still seeking to take revenge against the city walls. A large powder keg was ready and the fuse was lit. Luckily, there was a young Brussels boy who saw the burning wick and immediately went into action. This heroic act was of course rewarded with its own little statue.