Mannekin Pis

Humor in Belgium is demonstrated in different ways. In Brussels, they honor the Mannekin Pis (also known as Manneken Pis), located on an obscure corner near the Grand 'Place in the heart of old Brussels.

Nobody actually knows why the manneken is there. He is believed to be nothing more than a decoration on top of a fountain, where people in the Middle-Ages came to get fresh water. Already in the 15th century a fountain called 'manneken-pis' existed in the Stoffstraat/Rue de l'etuve. The official origin can be traced back to 13 August 1619 when the city ordered the sculptor Jerome Duquesnoy to make a new bronze statue of manneken-pis to replace an old and withered one.

During the course of the centuries, the little manneken has often been hidden to protect him against bombs of invading armies. He has also been stolen several times by plundering solders and even by the citizens of Geraardsbergen, a city in Flanders that claims to possess the oldest statue of a peeing boy in Belgium.

The statue of a little boy, picturesquely doing just what the name implies, has over 654 donated costumes-from every country in the world. A Costume Committee reviews each new submission to assure that it meets the criteria of authenticity and proper structure. Costumes include Santa Clause, Elvis, Mickey Mouse, a Swiss Soldier and a Zulu Warrior. The little statue has become a national treasure.