Manneken Pis
VISIT
AUTHOR
Kevin Dao
HEADER PHOTO
Kevin Dao
DATE
20 May 2020
VISIT
According to a Belgian legend, a group of soldiers placed a two year old boy in a basket and hung him high on a tree as opposing troops marched into their area. He instinctively urinated on the enemy, the troops of the Berthouts who ultimately lost that battle in 1142. That boy grew up to become the Count of Leuven, the duke of the region known today as the city of Brussels. This tall tale was supposedly the inspiration behind one of the top tourist attractions in town, the Manneken Pis.
The story is as bold as the statue's costumes, dressed in several predetermined outfits a week. Since 1756, the Manneken Pis has donned over a thousand uniforms, including the memorable Dracula, Mozart and Santa Claus to name a few. The day we visited the little figure in July 2019, he was decked out in some sort of African tribal attire. Regardless of which elaborate ensemble he has on, he certainly draws a huge crowd.
Over the years there have been multiple kidnappings of the figurine. One unforgettable disappearance was in 1965 when the sculpture was broken and left with only it's feet and ankles. The body was miraculously found under water in the Charleroi canal, over 40 km or 25 miles away from the statue's home location. It was later restored and is currently kept safely in the Brussels museum.
The replica can be found in the center of Brussels, a five minute walk from the Grand Place. It depicts a naked boy relieving himself in the fountain, with a little smirk. The idol represents Brussels's philosophy of sense of humor and their independence of mind.
And some days, we can all practice and follow this philosophy.
