The earliest mention of Brussels' Manneken Pis, as we know it today, was on 13 August 1619. The capital city will be celebrating this anniversary until 15 May 2020, with a comprehensive and varied festive programme around the history of its bronze fountain figure.
Sculptor Jeroom Duquesnoy was commissioned by the Brussels municipal authorities on 13 August 1619 to make a bronze replica of the 15th-century urchin, which had been destroyed and broken down into rubble. This involved a new pillar, water basin and statue. A good enough reason to put Manneken Pis in the spotlight for the next few weeks and months.
During the annual end-of-year event Winterpret ('Winter Fun'), anyone can take part in a Manneken Pis-themed treasure hunt using a geolocation app. Who knows? You might go home with a nice prize. But before that, of course, you will want to know all about the ketje - Brussels slang for a street urchin - and his extensive costume collection in the Museum at the Broodhuis and in a pop-up display case in his Wardrobe. There will even be an addition to the latter in 2020, with a new design from a Brussels primary school. Alongside this, a scientific paper will be published on the statue and a commemorative €2.50 coin will be minted showing 400 years of Manneken Pis - 120,000 of them will be produced. They will be legal tender, but will not be put into circulation. Coin collectors and fans of Manneken Pis should hurry along to: https://www.herdenkingsmunten.be.
Read our earlier articles on Manneken Pis at our Focus website. We hope there will be many more centuries to come for our national icon!