What is Manneken Pis?
Manneken Pis (pronounced “man-uh-ken piss” — Dutch for “Little Pissing Man”) is a 55.5cm (21.9 inches) bronze fountain sculpture in central Brussels depicting a naked little boy urinating into a fountain basin. Yes, that’s genuinely Brussels’ most famous symbol after the Atomium. It’s proof that Belgians have an excellent sense of humour about themselves.
The current statue dates from 1619, created by Brabantine sculptor Jérôme Duquesnoy the Elder, though a fountain has existed on this spot since at least the mid-15th century. The figure regularly gets dressed up in different costumes — over 1,000 of them — and his wardrobe represents gifts from countries, organisations, and celebrities worldwide. Since 1965, a replica has been displayed on site, with the original stored safely in the Brussels City Museum after one too many theft attempts.
Owing to its self-derisive nature, Manneken Pis exemplifies belgitude (Belgianness) and Brussels’ folk humour (zwanze). Only the Belgians would turn a peeing cherub into their national symbol and then lovingly dress him up in Elvis costumes and superhero suits.
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The statue and legends about Manneken Pis
The earliest mention of Manneken Pis dates from 1451 to 1452 in an administrative document about Brussels’ water supply lines. From the beginning, the fountain played an essential role in distributing drinking water — it wasn’t just decorative, it was functional.
Several legends explain the statue’s origins, though none are historically verified:
The fuse-douser: A little boy saved Brussels from disaster when enemies were at the gates ready to bring down the city walls with gunpowder. The boy desperately needed to relieve himself and extinguished the burning fuse, saving the city.
The witch’s door: An alternative legend claims a little boy emptied his bladder against a witch’s door (which seems less heroic but more plausible for a small child).
The lost duke’s son: Another story tells of a duke’s young son who went missing during a battle. He was found urinating against a tree, and the relieved duke commissioned a statue commemorating the moment.
Whatever the truth, the statue survived the 1695 bombardment of Brussels by French forces, and a pamphlet published that year described it as “an object of glory appreciated by all and renowned throughout the world.” After the bombardment, it was triumphantly replaced on its pedestal with a Biblical inscription: “The Lord placed me on a stone base, and now I raise my head above my enemies.”
The statue has been repeatedly stolen or damaged throughout its history. After it was stolen and broken into pieces in 1817, the authorities gave up and put the original safely in a museum in 1965. A replica has stood in its place ever since.
The costume tradition at Manneken Pis
The tradition of dressing Manneken Pis dates back to 1698, when Maximilian II Emmanuel, Governor of the Spanish Netherlands, gave him his first set of clothes. In 1747, he received garments of brocade from King Louis XV. By the 18th century, Manneken Pis was dressed at least four times yearly.
Today, the statue has over 1,000 costumes (some sources say 1,160 as of October 2024) and receives 20 to 30 new outfits annually. The wardrobe includes national costumes from countries worldwide, superhero suits, Santa Claus outfits, Elvis Presley gear, Dracula costumes, Mickey Mouse suits, traditional kimonos, bullfighter costumes, and even a striped prison outfit. Each costume must be approved by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen after review by the Friends of the Order of Manneken-Pis committee. New costumes cannot have advertising, commercial, political, or religious character.
An official city employee dresses Manneken Pis according to a published schedule — 23 dressings are planned on fixed dates throughout the year. After official presentations, new costumes join the collection at the GardeRobe MannekenPis museum. On very special occasions, Manneken Pis thanks visitors by producing beer or wine instead of water. Belgian practicality at its finest.
Five great things to do while in Brussels
- 🍺 Indulge in Brussels’ finest treats on a top-rated beer and chocolate tour.
- 🕊️ Take a Flanders battlefields day tour, including the Last Post ceremony at Ypres.
- 🍫 Learn how to make chocolate pralines in an expert-run workshop.
- 🚲 Go on a bike tour, and cram in more of the city’s highlights.
- 🌙 Discover Brussels’ nightlife on a pub crawl.
Visiting Manneken Pis: practical information
Manneken Pis location
Corner of Rue de l’Étuve/Stoofstraat and Rue du Chêne/Eikstraat, 1000 Brussels
From Grand Place: 5 minutes’ walk (approximately 265 metres). From the Grand Place facing the town hall, take the exit on the left — the statue is two blocks behind the town hall.
Getting to Manneken Pis
By metro/premetro: Bourse/Beurs station (lines 3, 4, 10, 32), then short walk.
By bus: Grand-Place/Grote Markt stop (lines 33, 48, 95).
From Brussels Central Station: 6-minute walk.
Manneken Pis opening hours and admission
Opening hours: 24/7 — it’s an outdoor fountain on a public street.
Admission: FREE (and so it should be – you’d be fuming if you’d paid to see it)
Important note: The statue is surprisingly small (55.5cm tall) and stands behind railings in a niche, so you can’t get very close. Crowds gather constantly for photos, so prepare to queue for your selfie opportunity. Early mornings or late evenings offer fewer crowds.
Photography at Manneken Pis
Photography is freely permitted — it’s a public fountain. Expect crowds, particularly during peak tourist season. The statue is set back in a niche behind railings, so getting a clear photo requires positioning yourself strategically. Be patient and wait your turn.
How long to spend at Manneken Pis
Quick visit: 5 to 10 minutes for photos.
Honestly, most visitors spend about 5 minutes looking at the statue, taking photos, expressing surprise at how small it is, and moving on. It’s worth seeing because it’s so famously Brussels, but set expectations accordingly — it’s genuinely tiny.
Manneken Pis costume schedule
The dressing schedule is posted on railings around the fountain and available on the City of Brussels website. Check online before visiting if you want to see him in a particular outfit. The costume changes happen throughout the year for various celebrations, national days, and special events.
The GardeRobe MannekenPis museum
Location: Rue du Chêne 19, 1000 Brussels (just a stone’s throw from the fountain).
Opening hours:
- Tuesday to Sunday: 10.00am to 5.00pm.
- Closed: Mondays and 1st January, 1st May, 1st November, 11th November, 25th December.
- 24th and 31st December: closes 4.00pm.
Admission:
- Combined ticket with Brussels City Museum (Maison du Roi): €10.
- Individual admission: €5.
- Free for under 18 years.
- Free every first Sunday of the month.
- Free with Brussels Card and Museumpassmusées.
What’s inside: Approximately 140 to 150 costumes from the collection of over 1,000 are displayed at any time, rotated regularly. Interactive terminals let you browse the entire collection digitally. Costumes are exhibited by theme: geographical location, designers, celebrities, trades, sports, folklore, charities, and citizen associations.
Visit duration: 15 to 30 minutes — it’s a small, one-room museum, but vaguely charming.
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible with facilities for mobility-impaired visitors and the blind/visually impaired.
Tip: The museum offers better value than most visitors expect. For €5 (or free on first Sundays), you get close-up views of extraordinary costumes from around the world, learn the statue’s history, and understand the tradition properly. It’s a short walk from the fountain.
Nearby attractions to Manneken Pis
Manneken Pis is in Brussels’ historic centre, close to the city’s main attractions:
- Grand Place (Grote Markt): 5 minutes’ walk (265 metres) — Brussels’ magnificent central square, UNESCO World Heritage Site, considered one of Europe’s most beautiful squares.
- Brussels City Museum (Maison du Roi): 5 minutes’ walk (296 metres) — houses the original Manneken Pis statue plus Brussels history exhibitions. Combined ticket with GardeRobe available.
- Jeanneke Pis: 5 minutes’ walk (485 metres) — Manneken Pis’s “sister,” a female counterpart fountain created in 1985, located in an alley (Impasse de la Fidélité/Getrouwheidsgang).
- Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert: 5 minutes’ walk (467 metres) — elegant 19th-century shopping arcade with chocolatiers, bookshops, and cafés.
- Chocolate shops: Numerous artisan chocolatiers nearby including Mary Chocolatier, Planete Chocolat, and Pelicaen Belgian Chocolates. Many sell chocolate Manneken Pis figures.
- Delirium Café: Short walk — famous bar with over 2,000 beers, holds Guinness World Record for most varieties of beer commercially available.
- Tintin Mural Painting: Nearby — one of Brussels’ famous comic strip murals.
- Poechenellekelder: Puppet theatre pub near the statue — traditional Brussels puppet theatre (Théâtre royal de Toone).
- Bourse (Stock Exchange building): 10 minutes’ walk — impressive neoclassical building.
- St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral: 15 minutes’ walk — Brussels’ main Gothic cathedral.
Dining near Manneken Pis
The area around Manneken Pis is thick with tourist restaurants of variable quality. For authentic Belgian food:
- Get proper Belgian fries (frites) from a friterie — not from tourist traps charging €8.
- Try waffles from street vendors, but Grand Place area prices are inflated.
- Head slightly away from the immediate tourist zone (towards Sainte-Catherine or Dansaert) for better-value restaurants.
- Visit the chocolatiers for pralines rather than tourist tat.
Tips for visiting Manneken Pis
- Set expectations realistically — the statue is 55.5cm tall, genuinely tiny, and behind railings. It’s famous for being modest.
- Visit early morning (before 9.00am) or late evening for smaller crowds.
- Check the dressing schedule online if you want to see specific costumes.
- Don’t bother buying tourist-shop Manneken Pis merchandise unless you genuinely love novelty bottle openers.
- Do visit the GardeRobe MannekenPis museum (€5, or free first Sunday) — it’s much more interesting than expected and helps you appreciate the tradition.
- See the original statue in Brussels City Museum if you’re interested in the 1619 bronze.
- Look for Jeanneke Pis (the female counterpart) and Zinneke Pis (the dog version) whilst you’re in the area — completing the set, hey?
- Combine with Grand Place, chocolate shops, and Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert for a proper historic centre walk.
- The Brussels Card includes free GardeRobe MannekenPis admission plus free public transport.
More Brussels travel
Other Brussels travel articles on Planet Whitley include:
- Travel guide to Brussels, Belgium.
- Following the Tintin trail in Brussels.
- How to find the best chocolates in Brussels.
- Planning a visit to the BELvue Museum in Brussels.
- Practical guide to the Autoworld car museum in Brussels.
