Manneken Pis
Meet Manneken Pis – a 61cm bronze statue forever caught mid-pee. He’s quirky, iconic, and the more you learn about him, the stranger he becomes. Some say he saved the city by putting out a lit fuse (you can guess how), others claim he’s a nobleman’s son caught with his pants down. Since the 15th century, these tales have tied this cheeky guy into Brussels’ very soul.
Not just window-shopping
Our little friend is also Brussels’ best-dressed citizen, sporting over 1,000 outfits, from Elvis to samurai and Santa. Stop by the GardeRobe MannekenPis museum to see his full wardrobe; each costume carries its own story of Brussels’s most famous wildplasser (yes, exactly what it sounds like).
The statue you see today isn’t the original – that one was stolen and shattered in 1817 by a French ex-convict. These days, the original rests in the Brussels City Museum, while this lively replica stands at the corner of Rue de l’Étuve and Rue du Chêne.
Insider tip
Local tip: head across the street to Poechenellekelder for a Belgian beer and prime people-watching. Sure, it’s a hotspot for tourists, but if the locals still come, you know it’s legit. Feeling hungry? Their croque monsieur and spaghetti won’t disappoint.
