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Monument · Bruxelas, Bruxelas
Manneken Pis
A small bronze statue of a boy urinating into a fountain, at a corner in the centre. It has a wardrobe of around a thousand costumes, displayed in a nearby museum.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Manneken Pis
Manneken Pis is a bronze statue just over half a metre tall, set in a fountain on the corner of Rue de l'Étuve and Rue du Chêne, three blocks from the Grand-Place. The first bronze version was commissioned in 1619 from the sculptor Jérôme Duquesnoy the Elder.
The figure seen on the corner is a replica. The original, which suffered thefts and damage over the centuries, is kept in the Museu da Cidade de Bruxelas, in the Maison du Roi, on the Grand-Place itself.
The boy is dressed in costumes on various dates of the year, related to festivities, foreign delegations and associations. The collection exceeds a thousand outfits and is displayed at the GardeRobe MannekenPis on Rue du Chêne, a few metres from the fountain. Among the older pieces is a costume offered by a duke of Bavaria at the end of the 17th century.
The statue inspired other figures in the city, such as Jeanneke Pis, a girl in the Impasse de la Fidélité near Rue des Bouchers. Around the Manneken Pis there are several waffle and chocolate shops.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
Ten to fifteen minutes at the corner. An additional half hour if you enter the GardeRobe MannekenPis.
Best time
Early in the morning there are fewer people on the narrow sidewalk. To see him dressed, check the costume calendar before you go: on some dates the boy appears wearing traditional clothes from other countries.
How to get there
On foot, about five minutes from the Grand-Place: go out via Rue Charles Buls, which becomes Rue de l'Étuve, and continue to the corner with Rue du Chêne. Bruxelles-Central station is about a ten-minute walk away.
Tip
Don't expect a large statue: it's small and sits behind a railing on a busy corner. The Museu da Cidade ticket usually also includes access to the GardeRobe MannekenPis.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Manneken Pis
Is the Manneken Pis on the corner the original?
No. The statue at the fountain is a replica. The original bronze is kept at the Museum of the City of Brussels, in the Maison du Roi on the Grand-Place.
Where are Manneken Pis's costumes kept?
At the GardeRobe MannekenPis on Rue du Chêne, a few meters from the statue. The collection exceeds one thousand costumes.