One such story (with many variations) places our "Wee Boy" as the savior of the city, drowning out the flames of a deadly fire with his wee-wee. Another variation is that he, with precise aim, extinguished the fuse that would have caused a devastating explosion. Another story has our fellow as a street urchin who was unwise enough to relieve himself on the doorway of an evil sorcerer, who then condemned him to that position and to pee for eternity. Pick whichever you like, but you must take the short walk to see it. They even have costumes for him for different times of the year, like a Santa suit.

Records indicate that the original Mannekin Pis was created in 1388. It was destroyed many centuries later. He has also been stolen seven times during his long life on display and recovered each time. One man, Antoine Lucas, was sentenced to 20 years in prison when, in 1817, he ripped the statue from its base and fled with it.

The attraction is free of charge, and there are signs pointing to it on the street. It's easy to miss, so pay close attention to the direction the signs point in. There are a few chocolate shops down the street from him, so INDULGE.

Jerome Duquesnoy made the statue the Elder in 1619. It is sculpted out of bronze and during its existence ahs been stolen, smashed, rebuilt, and much, much more. Therefore, the history behind the Manneken-Pis is long, if not distinguished.

Perhaps the most notable thing about the statue is that on special occasions, he is dressed up in outfits. I believe that this is every second Tuesday and special events (check on the dates--I don’t want you to go on the wrong day). He has received outfits from all around the world and everyone from state leaders to girl scouts to the Elvis fan club. I believe that there is a museum nearby that displays all of his outfits if you are interested. One of the days that I was there, he was dressed as a Swiss guard, and let me tell you, it is a very elaborate dress.

Just to let you know, there is an iron gate that surrounds the Manneken-Pis, and it can be quite high for some people. It is sometimes necessary to go back a bit in order to get a better view, but be aware of the cars that will not stop for you.

If you are interested in purchasing a souvenir of the statue, there are plenty of shops nearby. They have a wide range of Belgian trinkets in these stores, as well as the symbol of the Manneken-Pis on every possible souvenir that you could ever think of.

The Manneken-Pis is a short walk from La Grande Place; I would guess about three blocks. Therefore, it is entirely possible to do both of Brussels monuments in the same day.

While the statue may be nothing more than a little boy relieving himself, it is considered a part of Belgian/Brussels history, and I would suggest, if you are in Belgium, taking a look at the little boy.