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One of the most famous landmarks in Brussels is of a fountain with a bronze statue of a naked boy peeing. The sculpture is appropriately named "Manneken Pis" which is Dutch for "Little Pissing Man". Per Wikipedia, this sculpture is known as a "puer mingens" which is a work of art that depicts a "prepubescent boy in the act of urinating, either actual or simulated". (Interesting that prepubescent boys in the act of urinating -- either actual or simulated -- are so predominant in art that there is a specific term for it. File that away for trivia night!) Located near Grand Place de Bruxelles, Manneken Pis is quite small, only 55.5 cm (21.9 inches), and there is always such a large crowd that it's really hard to see much or get a good photo. Apparently the statue is regularly dressed up in costumes, although when I saw it, it was fortunately in its original, naked form. The statue dates back to 1619; however, the original is in the Brussels City Museum due to theft and vandalism, and since 1965, a replica has been on display. [Yelp collections: Europe 2024; Brussels, Belgium; Public Art]
Read it out loud, yes, it says exactly what you think! Yes, it's a statue of a little boy holding...himself and....yeah...emptying his bladder. I personally love the crude humor, and the people of Brussels must feel the same! The legend goes that the little boy put out a fire by taking a whizz on it. The statue is so famous that there is a Manneken Pis Museum around the corner dedicated to our friend. When we went, there was a college graduation going on, so he was dressed in cap and gown. Keep doing your thing lil guy!
The Manneken Pis is a funny little statue and "fountain" in Brussels, right off the Grand Place central plaza of the town. It's in the "folk humor" style so you do have to be able to view the little guy with a sense of humor to truly appreciate it. There are several outfits that people dress the statue up as, that are sold in the museum nearby. But I think it's best to see it plain to have the actual experience of viewing the fountain the way it was meant to be seen and not covered up in a funny costume. It's a pretty busy little spot with lots of tourists (including myself in that), so you have to be able to put up with people crowding you a bit (thought it will only take about a minute to see the statue and move along). Take a look at images of the Manneken Pis and make up your mind for yourself if it's worth a quick stop for you in Brussels while you're there.
A fly-by is recommended while in Brussels. You'll snap a quick photo and then probably be on your way. Try to come earlier in the day as it can get very busy as crowds of people show to check him out. That being said, they do dress him up from time to time to celebrate various alliances and occasions. He is dressed for almost half of the year. The official calendar is published once a month - simply google Manneken-Pis dressing calendar.
Whoa - this fountain is super teeny! All this time I thought it was something huge like Rome's Trevi Fountain but nope. In fact, had there not been a crowd of people standing around the street corner, I'd totally have missed it.....even with Google telling me I was standing right on top of the destination I also had no idea there was such an extended appreciation to the point there are often times when it's dressed in costumes & it was an actual thing to see the "little man" dressed up. No fancy dress while we were there - shame. Would have loved to have seem that - especially as Valentine's Day was only a couple of weeks away
Manneken Pis is a classic and a must see when in Brussels. While to some it's a small statue of a peeing human, the history behind it is interesting and special to the city. We were able to see him without a costume, with a costume, and then the official dresser changing him into another costume. How cool! The area does get VERY crowded so I recommend going first thing, around 9-10am if you want photos without anyone around.
Anyone who's ever known me or read my reviews knows I'm all about stepping up to see historical sites or must see attractions...... Yea......this isn't one of them. Overrated by a long shot. But listen, all is not lost. Look behind you. There's a great bar/cafe that will be my next review. Go see Manneken Pis and walk your ass over to have a drink and a really really good sausage and cheese board.
The peeing boy fountain sculpture is meant to promote fun and humor of the city that is Brussels. He's been around since 1619 when he was created by Jerome Duquesnoy, and he still stands and pees proudly today. Manneken is absolutely worth seeing whilst in Brussels. His counterpart, Jeanneke Pis is also worth visiting. Manneken has different ensembles for holidays and celebrations throughout the year. read more
I stayed across the street at La Vielle Lanterne and so was able to see the constant stream of tourists trying to get a good picture of this statue which was kind of funny. The only time it wasn't swarmed was in the early morning. read more
As I was doing my research on what to see in Brussels, this statue popped up and peaked my curiosity. Who doesn't want to see a little boy statue peeing? This landmark is near the Grand Place de Bruxelles area, just follow the blue street signs to the statue. The statue is located on the corner behind an iron fence. The first time, I saw the statue, he was "naked" and peeing. Couple days later, I was walking past the statue, the statue was dressed and still peeing. I'm glad I had locate this "national" treasure. I would recommend to check it out for your selfie. read more
1 year ago
One of the most famous landmarks in Brussels is of a fountain with a bronze statue of a naked boy peeing. The sculpture is appropriately named "Manneken Pis" which is Dutch for "Little Pissing Man". Per Wikipedia, this sculpture is known as a "puer mingens" which is a work of art that depicts a "prepubescent boy in the act of urinating, either actual or simulated". (Interesting that prepubescent boys in the act of urinating -- either actual or simulated -- are so predominant in art that there is a specific term for it. File that away for trivia night!) Located near Grand Place de Bruxelles, Manneken Pis is quite small, only 55.5 cm (21.9 inches), and there is always such a large crowd that it's really hard to see much or get a good photo. Apparently the statue is regularly dressed up in costumes, although when I saw it, it was fortunately in its original, naked form. The statue dates back to 1619; however, the original is in the Brussels City Museum due to theft and vandalism, and since 1965, a replica has been on display. [Yelp collections: Europe 2024; Brussels, Belgium; Public Art] read more
1 year ago
Read it out loud, yes, it says exactly what you think! Yes, it's a statue of a little boy holding...himself and....yeah...emptying his bladder. I personally love the crude humor, and the people of Brussels must feel the same! The legend goes that the little boy put out a fire by taking a whizz on it. The statue is so famous that there is a Manneken Pis Museum around the corner dedicated to our friend. When we went, there was a college graduation going on, so he was dressed in cap and gown. Keep doing your thing lil guy! read more
I just don't understand what the fascination is and how so many businesses nearby or capitalizing on the idea. I need to research more as I seem to be missing something. Way too many people trying to get a photo here and a pickpocket opportunity for sure.... read more
2 years ago
It's a famous statue, and when I began to travel here in 2007, I was told it was the most photographed statue in the world. Maybe it was. Anyway, to come to Brussels without seeing it is to miss a little bit of fun and a chance to wonder at the story behind it. read more
The Manneken Pis is a funny little statue and "fountain" in Brussels, right off the Grand Place central plaza of the town. It's in the "folk humor" style so you do have to be able to view the little guy with a sense of humor to truly appreciate it. There are several outfits that people dress the statue up as, that are sold in the museum nearby. But I think it's best to see it plain to have the actual experience of viewing the fountain the way it was meant to be seen and not covered up in a funny costume. It's a pretty busy little spot with lots of tourists (including myself in that), so you have to be able to put up with people crowding you a bit (thought it will only take about a minute to see the statue and move along). Take a look at images of the Manneken Pis and make up your mind for yourself if it's worth a quick stop for you in Brussels while you're there. read more
2 years ago
A fly-by is recommended while in Brussels. You'll snap a quick photo and then probably be on your way. Try to come earlier in the day as it can get very busy as crowds of people show to check him out. That being said, they do dress him up from time to time to celebrate various alliances and occasions. He is dressed for almost half of the year. The official calendar is published once a month - simply google Manneken-Pis dressing calendar. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
It's a fountain of a boy statue urinating. There's not much else to it. It's fenced off. There's no seating area. It's not the Trevi fountain. You really don't need to spend more than a couple of minutes here. You aren't missing out if you don't stop by while in Brussels. read more
2 years ago
Whoa - this fountain is super teeny! All this time I thought it was something huge like Rome's Trevi Fountain but nope. In fact, had there not been a crowd of people standing around the street corner, I'd totally have missed it.....even with Google telling me I was standing right on top of the destination I also had no idea there was such an extended appreciation to the point there are often times when it's dressed in costumes & it was an actual thing to see the "little man" dressed up. No fancy dress while we were there - shame. Would have loved to have seem that - especially as Valentine's Day was only a couple of weeks away read more
Manneken Pis is a classic and a must see when in Brussels. While to some it's a small statue of a peeing human, the history behind it is interesting and special to the city. We were able to see him without a costume, with a costume, and then the official dresser changing him into another costume. How cool! The area does get VERY crowded so I recommend going first thing, around 9-10am if you want photos without anyone around. read more
Anyone who's ever known me or read my reviews knows I'm all about stepping up to see historical sites or must see attractions...... Yea......this isn't one of them. Overrated by a long shot. But listen, all is not lost. Look behind you. There's a great bar/cafe that will be my next review. Go see Manneken Pis and walk your ass over to have a drink and a really really good sausage and cheese board. read more
Located very close to the Grand Place, this small fountain of a little boy peeing, attracts a lot of people to take pictures. It's a real quick stop...nobody really hangs around too long, so one should be able to get a close up picture even if busy. read more
1 year ago
Totally worth going to see. I wasn't the biggest fan until I found out they dressed him up! I kind of regret not going to the museum to see all of the thousands of costumes. We went the week between Christmas & new year & it wasn't too crowded. read more
Manneken Pis is the famous statue/fountain of Brussels that literally is a kid who pees. There is always a ton of tourists around trying to take pics with this itty bitty popular statue. It symbolizes humor, resilience from historic wars etc. There have been wars that abducted Manneken Pis. Long story short many legends told... he survived, then was stolen, retrieved, destroyed and remade several times. It's cute, funny, and a talking point of the city. In the walking tour discovered a ton of facts about it. There is an official dresser who dresses the statue up and for each major holiday/festival. And he might have more outfits than you. In different festivals he is urinating wine/beer etc for people to drink. Side Note- If you want to see the female statue which was made much later... Its named Jeanneke Pis that is near Rue des Bouchers/Beenhouwersstraat. It's literally a small girl squatting and urinating. read more
What is Brussels' obsession with peeing statues? It's pretty funny. This guy is worth a glance but the crowd are always heavy so he's protected by a tall fence. Mannekin Pis is the most famous pissing baby in the world. You'd be surprised to learn this little guy is not actually original. This is a replica after the original was stolen hundreds of years ago. The denizens dress him up for every possible occasion, he has his own store front housing all of his outfits for the year. read more
It's a decent walk to see his famous fountain. It's crowded but not that amazing once you get there. It's as the pictures lend it to be, a tiny boy taking a leak into the fountain. The amusing part is they had it dressed in military garb on that particular day. No idea what for. read more
We came we saw, and we quickly crossed the street to drink beer and watch the other more into it tourist brave the constant.Mist stand around taking endless selfies posing in front o the lil dude. They say it's a tourist thing to do. So ok we came we saw we got drunk across the street! I don't know if it's true but my sons pal Pooja who had been there site seeing for 2 days prior told us an interesting story. Apparently this part of town historically was the tannery district. And what tans hides best is ammonia. Well according to Pooja the tanners would pay kids a penny per pee into little buckets that they would use to tan the leather. This lil dude is a tribute to that early folk tale. read more
8 years ago
There's a reason this is the most overrated tourist attraction in the world. Blink and you'll miss it. While I'd been told how underwhelming it was, but since I was in Brussels I figured I'd go and give it a look. I was navigating there with my maps app, and both my husband and I looked around puzzled when it said we had arrived. Then we saw the huge group of people, and only then did we see the minuscule fountain. I literally said "Oh." I suppose statue depicting public urination is a good symbol for a city known for beer. I guess it's worth seeing? If you're walking around the touristy part of Brussels why not. read more
The 8th wonder of the world! I'm gonna borrow a joke from my New Europe Tour guide Fraser, "this is the second best statue in the world! First being the Statue of Liberty... ah I didn't mean to offend my Danish friends! This statue is just like the Little Mermaid statue: equally disappointing!" Apparently this statue has been stolen and replaced 7 times in the past? Simply amazing. The statue is small. If you visit it before 10 AM, you will likely miss it because not too many tourists are around just yet. If you come later during that day, you won't miss it because too many people are trying to snap selfies in front of it. Yes, it is very small, but it's iconic. read more
I knew I had come to the right place as soon as I spotted a horde of tourists gathering at the small street corner. Everybody had their arms stretched way out for an obligatory selfie with the bronze peeing boy. I had seen replicas and models of Manneken Pis before but little did I know that the actual size of the statue was so small. Like a lot of people, I was surprised. Okay, now that I've seen it. Another point of interest checked off the list. What's the big deal of such a tiny little fountain, right? Then, I thought I'd better exercise due diligence and find out more before denigrating this ostensibly trifling landmark. As one of the legends goes, a mischievous boy urinated at the doorstep of a witch who turned him into a statue as punishment. Another scuttlebutt has it that a brave boy had prevented a catastrophe that would have otherwise destroyed the city by putting out a lit gunpowder fuse with his piss. Astonishingly, the statue has been standing for centuries and survived sundry wars and battles. Throughout history, Manneken Pis is the centerpiece in numerous satirical cartoons of current affairs. Some depictions are quite poignant. More than just a fountain, the boy figure symbolizes defiance to the locals and many others. Petit mais gentil. read more
The Manneken Pis is undoubtedly the most visited landmark in Brussels. While visitors may skip many of the fine museums, no one leaves Brussels without visiting the Manneken Pis: a unique water fountain that features a naked little boy urinating into a fountain. This odd statue has risen to fame and is a popular tourist attraction in the city. The name simply translates to "little man pee" and it has been given this name for obvious reasons. The statue isn't always naked, however, as it has a wardrobe that would make any celebrity jealous: It has 900 costumes that are changed frequently. Visitors can view them at the City Museum. This little boy has put Brussels on the tourist map; people travel to this city from all over the world just to catch a glimpse of him urinating. The legend behind the Manneken Pis (which translates to a little peeing man in Dutch) varies widely depending on who you ask. One popular story is of a little boy relieving himself on a witch's doorstep. Catching the boy in the act, the witch wished to punish him by turning him into stone, forcing him into that compromising position for eternity. A local, who witnessed the entire incident, ran to the boy and replaced him with a statue in the nick of time, making the boy miss the curse entirely. Another very popular story is that of a little boy stopping Brussels from meeting its demise. Enemy forces, intent on destroying Brussels, lit a small fire with the hopes it would spread and burn the city to the ground. A wandering little boy, who apparently really needed to go to the bathroom, saw the fire and put it out with his natural resources, thus saving the city. The statue takes a little bit of skill in hunting down (unless you see it as part of a tour) but it is worth persevering. You will find it by taking the right lane away from the town hall. If you are curious enough, then you can see the other 2 pissing statues apart from the Manneken Piss (the little boy). Jeanneke Pis (the little girl), and Zinneke Pis (the dog). Manneken can be found very close to Grand Place. Jeanneke was semi-hidden down a small side street downtown and protected by an iron gate, so getting a photo without metal bars in the shot was more than a little tricky (I went there drenching, my friend was pissed at me, she was like why do you want to see pissing girl and I was like I need to complete the trio). Zinneke (pissing dog)- I did not find. Love him or hate him, there is always a reason to return to the Manneken Pis -- whether it's to see what he's wearing or to watch him spout wine or beer (which happens several days each year). read more
What can I say about this cute tiny statue of a little boy pissing that hasn't already been said? It's smaller than I thought, cuter, and was easier to find than expected. They say this statute represents the rebellious spirit of the citizens of Brussels and I can see that. It's cute that he is routinely dressed in different costumes a few times a week. We saw him in one and without one the very next day. A fun stop while visiting the city for sure and close to several chocolate shops and waffle shops. It's about a 10 minute walk from the Grand Place. read more
7 years ago
London has Big Ben. Paris has the Eiffel Tower. Rome has the Colosseum. Brussels has... a statue of a peeing boy? You got that right. There are plenty of urban legends associated with this statue and how he got there. The boy does have a name - he's actually called Julien. Some say that he's an homage to the tanning guild for urine makes the leather more supple. Others say that he was a gift of gratitude because the boy was found (in that position) after being lost or the boy helped save the city by peeing into... whatever he was peeing. Nowadays Manneken Pis embodies the Brussels concept of zwanze, a form of self-depreciating humor. Being a statue of notoriety he was the subject of a few kidnapping attempts. One attempt involved cutting him open into 11 pieces and required a specialized welder to put him back together. Several more attempts over the years (with the last attempt having him been broken by the knees) have him now permanently settled in the Museum of the City of Brussels inside the Maison du Roi. An identical copy takes his place back at the fountain. Representatives from various countries or companies of interest to the Belgians can give the boy a gift in the form of clothes. There's a process involved to get an outfit approved. Once approved a civil servant acts as a dresser and puts on clothes according to a set schedule. Over the years he as amassed a wardrobe that can seriously rival any socialite; as of now he has over 1000 clothes on display at the nearby museum "Garderobe Manneken Pis". Sometimes the boy doesn't even squirt water; on that rare occasion he has been known to squirt beer and even milk. Luckily he doesn't squirt actual urine otherwise that'd be a universal massive health code violation. I was with a beer and chocolate tour when I came across Mannekin Pis. Like any other day there were swarms of people wanting to get their selfie shot with the boy. The dress of the day consisted of the famous brewery "Delirium" with the boy and a lot of other people dressed in a costume containing a pink elephant. Had I arrived earlier I could've gotten free beer. read more
The world famous symbol of Brussels, it's a little boy holding his boy parts and peeing. Peeing and peeing and peeing, it's a fountain. And it's very small. The fountain, that is, and the penis. Well, it's a boy. And once you've seen the fountain and the boy and the crowds, that's pretty much it. It's crowded and that's always a great place for pickpockets. Not that I saw anything, but it's certainly a place to be on the lookout. There are a number of shops nearby catering to the tourists with cheap waffles and trinkets. There are even a few spots here with beer, but this really isn't the place for the great beer. Round number review #7500. read more
Since I was a kid this is one of the first memories of a landmark that I can remember. Growing up we had a hanging Manneken Pis on one of our side doors. The first time I visited the Manneken Pis was 1981 and since than I have seen it a few times again. I don't remember if they dressed up the Manneken years ago but in recent visits we have seen it dressed up multiple times. According to my research he has around 500 plus clothing styles. The Manneken is always mobbed by tourists and to a little extent even the locals. They have all sorts of stories about the origin of the Manneken Pis most of which are hard to believe. The Manneken Pis is the symbol of Brussels and if you are there this is a must visit site. 5 stars all the way plus enjoy a waffle and frites while you are there. read more
10 years ago
I have no idea how to rate this landmark. It is a little boy peeing. Like it's a fountain originating from the little boy. I knew I had arrived by the hoards of folks taking selfies with it. You can earn well bet I took a selfie too. How could I not? So, so weird. That's really all I have to say. read more
I was warned about this place before my visit, not to get disappointed but yet when I actually saw it, i didn't know what to think. When I first learned I will visit Brussels, the first thing came to my mind was this manneken pis. Couldn't think of anything else. Lots of gift shops sell replica of this boy, stop by once to check it out, take a few pictures, think about which of the rumors may be correct for the origin of this boy... Five mins is all ones may take. There are lots of restaurants, gift shops, chocolate and waffles shops around. Smell of waffles and chocolate is heavenly. Enjoy. read more
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