Made in the early 17th century by Jérôme Duquesnoy, Manneken Pis holds court in tourist thoroughfare, a few hundred metres from the Grand Place in Brussels.  This bronze statuette, which is said to embody the spirit of Brussels, enjoys a worldwide reputation.

Despite the large amount of research carried out into Manneken Pis, his origins remain relatively obscure, and there are many legends about his history.  The best known relates that a rich burgher had lost his only son.  After five days looking for him, the father found him urinating on the corner of the rue de l'Etuve.  This happy discovery led him to finance the building of this fountain which is original, to say the least.  Another legend has it that Manneken Pis saved the city from a fire by urinating on the flames.

A document dating from the 14th century already mentioned a stone statuette called "Juliaenekensborre" of the fountain of "Little Julien".  It supplied drinking water to local people.  But the ravages of time encouraged the Brussels authorities to commission a bronze statue from Jérôme Duquesnoy in 1619.

In three centuries of existence, the young man has had several mishaps.  In 1695, the people of Brussels hid the statue as the French bombarded Brussels.  He survived unscathed.  In the mid-18th century, English solders then French troops took it away, without any damage.  His removal by Frenchman Antoon Lycas had a tragic epilogue, because the statuette was found broken.

So it is a copy of the original, which is still on display in the Municipal Museum, who holds court in rue de l'Etuve.  Another original feature of this fountain: its costumes.  In total, the wardrobe of the "ketje de Bruxelles" has over six hundred outfits donated or designed by Jacques Stroobants, the official dresser of Manneken Pis.