Get ready for the biggest disappointment when it comes to landmark sightseeing, at least that’s what everyone says. The Manneken Pis is the symbol of Belgium, rating higher than the Atomium, and a must-see when you go to Brussels for the first time. I mean even when you arrive at the airport you get bombarded with references to the Manneken Pis: the Coca-Cola machines feature the Manneke Pis, posters, replicas, etc. If you don’t know what the Manneken Pis is and if you haven’t realized it yet, it’s that famous statue of the boy peeing.

People often say it’s a bit of a letdown to start with because they get fooled by its size. It is much smaller than you think it is, and then it’s kind of hidden in a corner in central Brussels, so you might get fooled also by the idea that it’s in an important open space. And once you see it and snap a couple of photos of it, you get an empty feeling in your stomach (that’s where the fries come in) and you ask yourself: that’s it? So if you haven’t clicked away from this page,  we are going to try to make the Manneken Pis a bit more exciting for everyone.

Manneken Pis in Brussels

A bit of historic background on the statue and what it represents doesn’t tell us much since it’s made of legends. I for one heard that it was something about a boy peeing on a fire that saved a house or something. Well, it must have been a giant boy or he had a giant bladder! I think I might have been drunk when I heard that and mixed it with something coming out of the Gulliver’s Travels with Ted Danson. But according to Wikipedia, I wasn’t the only one. The most common stories are war-related. One tells about the Duke Godfrey III of Leuven. In 1142, the troops of this 2 year old lord were battling the troops of the Berthouts, the lords of Grimbergen, in Ransbeke and they put the infant lord in a basket and hung the basket in a tree to encourage them. From there, the boy peed on the troops of  the Berthouts, who eventually lost the battle because they were allergic to pee. OK, that last part I made up, but I don’t think they lost because a boy peed on them.

Jeanneke Pis in Brussels

Another story tells that in the 14th century, Brussels was under siege by someone else (just a normal Friday there). The city had held its ground for some time, so the attackers conceived of a plan to place explosive charges at the city walls. A little boy named Juliaanske happened to be spying on them as they prepared their master plan. He peed on the burning fuse and thus saved the city. Right! Anyway, you can check out these and other stories on Wikipedia, where I got this information from in the first place…maybe we can come up with a new one see if it sticks.

Manneken Pis in Ghent

The Manneken Pis became so popular that it got his own spin-offs. If you go to Brussels and look for the Manneken Pis, look also for the Jeanneke Pis – his female counterpart. Now the Jeanneke Pis is more likely to be found because it is just in front of the Delirium Café, the world record holder when it comes to its beer catalog. They had 2004 different beers last time I checked, something worth of a post later. The Jeanneke Pis is protected with a grid, so the photos won’t turn out as nice. I guess people coming out of the café must have tried to take her with them. I mean you look at her and think, like a friend of mine once said, that the Jeanneke Pis is totally hardcore compared to the Manneken Pis. She has been in a squatting position for ages and she still manages a high squirt once in a while.

Now I heard that there is also a dog peeing statue in Brussels. I haven’t been able to confirm that yet. If someone knows if it exists or where it’s located, please tell us. I gotta take a photo of that for my collection. Yes, I collect photos of Manneken Pis replicas.

Manneken Pis in Seattle

The Manneken Pis is kind of like the Travelocity Gnome, popping up everywhere. In Belgium there is a Manneken Pis in Ghent, Hasselt, Brain-l’Alleud, and Broxeele. Other sightings include Tokushima in Japan and I happen to find one also in a Belgian bar in Seattle – how convenient. In Brussels, you can buy your own Manneke Pis in several versions like corkscrew, ashtray, etc. Probably t-shirts too, but would you wear a t-shirt with a boy peeing on it?

So here’s your exciting assignment: try to collect them all. Map all Manneken Pis sightings in the world. You’ll never know when there is one right next to you. Don’t forget to check under your bed. They’re sneaky little bastards.

Manneken Pis – Wikipedia

Jeanneke Pis – Wikipedia

Manneken Pis Location in Brussels – Google Maps

Jeanneke Pis Location in Brussels – Google Maps

Manneken Pis Location in Ghent – Google Maps

Manneken Pis Location in Seattle – Google Maps

Manneken Pis – Flickr

Jeanneke Pis – Flickr