The Little Piss Boy

The Little Piss Boy

Manneken Pis (also translated as the Peeing Boy Statue or the Little Urinating Boy) is the city symbol of Brussels, the capital of Belgium. This world-famous bronze statue of a little boy stands as a fountain in the pedestrian area of the city center. The small sculpture, modeled after a five-year-old child (about 53 cm tall), has a history of nearly four hundred years.

There are many popular stories about the origin of the statue. One widely told tale goes that a young boy (some say his name was "Julians" or "Julien") woke up in the middle of the night to pee and noticed a burning fuse extending from a neighbor’s house (some say it was French soldiers about to blow up the city with gunpowder). Unable to find water to extinguish the fire, the clever child urinated on the fuse to put it out and saved the people trapped inside. To honor the boy, a stone statue was erected on the spot as a permanent memorial for future generations to remember.

In 1698, Manneken Pis was dressed in clothes for the first time. Due to the popularity of the little statue, whenever foreign ambassadors visit Belgium, they often have a special outfit made for him. As a result, he has his own wardrobe with over seven hundred outfits donated by countries from around the world. The collection of costumes is now displayed at a museum in the city center (located in the Maison du Roi on the Grand Place).

Manneken Pis

Must-visit reason: The world's most famous peeing boy

Continent: Europe【Europe】

Country/Region: Belgium[Belgium]

Province/State: Brussels-Capital Region [Brussels-Capital Region]

City: Brussels [Brussels]