Point of interest
Manneken Pis
in Brussels, Belgium
The small bronze of a urinating boy has been Brussels' mischievous mascot since the 15th century and gets dressed in over 1,000 different costumes.
Where it is
At the corner of the Rue de l'Étuve and the Rue du Chêne, about a five-minute walk south-west of the Grand-Place.
Address: Rue de l'Étuve - Stoofstraat, 1000 Brussels
What it is
Despite standing only about 55 cm tall, the cheeky "ketje" is the city's mascot. He is dressed up for festive occasions, and his collection of more than 1,000 costumes can be seen at the nearby GardeRobe MannekenPis museum.
History
The bronze figure of the urinating boy was created by Jérôme Duquesnoy the Elder in 1619 for a fountain. Stolen several times, the original was taken for the last time in 1965; a copy now stands at the fountain while the original is kept in the Brussels City Museum.