Manneken Pis

Yes, almost everyone has seen a picture of the statue of a little boy peeing into the basin of a fountain—Manneken Pis. He is said to represent the rebellious nature of the city of Brussels. Naturally, Americans visiting Manneken Pis will likely question why they are watching a little boy pee, but it does get weirder—the city makes clothes for him. Manneken Pis has a wardrobe. The statue itself is naked, but at different times during the year, Manneken has outfits that he wears—nearly 800 different outfits at last count. His costumes are managed by a nonprofit organization called The Friends of Manneken Pis. The organization reviews thousands of design drawings each year, and selects a few to be created and used. There are many replicas of Manneken Pis: one in Geraardsbergen, one in Japan, but one lesser known fact, is that there is a sister statue to Manneken Pis, and it’s located in Brussels as well. Jeannekke Pis is a much more recent addition to the city of Brussels than her brother, Manneken, and she is tucked away in a small alley consisting of a few restaurants and Delirium Bar (a bar famous for its thousands of beers). Jeanneke receives much fewer visitors, and does not have a wardrobe, but it’s an interesting find for anyone wandering Brussels! So be sure to stop by and hopefully you’ll catch Manneken on a day when he has an outfit on!