Manneken Pis
Manneken Pis (Dutch for 'Little Pissing Man'; Dutch: [ˌmɑnəkə(m) ˈpɪs] ⓘ) is a landmark 55.5 cm (21.9 in) bronze fountain sculpture in central Brussels, Belgium, depicting a puer mingens; a naked little boy urinating into the fountain's basin. Though its existence is attested as early as the mid-15th century, Manneken Pis was redesigned by the Brabantine sculptor Jérôme Duquesnoy the Elder and put in place in 1619. Its stone niche in rocaille style dates from 1770. The statue has been repeatedly stolen or damaged throughout its history. Since 1965, a replica has been displayed, with the original stored in the Brussels City Museum.
| Manneken Pis | |
|---|---|
Location within Brussels | |
| Artist | Jérôme Duquesnoy the Elder |
| Year |
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| Type | Bronze |
| Subject | Puer mingens |
| Dimensions | 55.5 cm (21.9 in) |
| Location | City of Brussels, Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium |
| 50°50′42″N 4°21′00″E | |
| Website | Official website |
Manneken Pis is one of the best-known symbols of Brussels and Belgium, inspiring several legends, as well as numerous imitations and similar statues both nationally and abroad. The figure is regularly dressed up and its wardrobe consists of around one thousand different costumes. Since 2017, they have been exhibited in a dedicated museum called Garderobe MannekenPis. Owing to its self-derisive nature, Manneken Pis is also an example of belgitude (French; lit. 'Belgianness'), as well as of folk humour (zwanze) popular in Brussels.
Manneken Pis is approximately five minutes' walk from the Grand-Place/Grote Markt (Brussels' main square), at the junction of the Rue du Chêne/Eikstraat and the pedestrian Rue de l'Étuve/Stoofstraat. This site is served by the premetro (underground tram) station Bourse/Beurs (on lines 3 and 4), as well as the bus stop Grand-Place/Grote Markt (on lines 33, 48 and 95).