Brussels – Snapping The Globe

A Christmas Trio

Every year, I look forward to my layovers in December.

I bid layover in cities that are known for their outstanding Christmas markets. Covid put a damper on this tradition for a couple of years, but this year, markets were back in full swing and I had a trio to visit.

Brussels was the first on my schedule and I remembered fondly purchasing beautiful lace ornaments many years ago at the market in the city center. Setting out in the early afternoon to get a leg up on the crowds, we headed towards the Grande Place, but first wandered into the Les Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, the glass roofed arcade filled with cafes, theaters and luxury stores. Having the distinction of being the first covered shopping arcade in Europe, it attracts hundreds of visitors daily wishing to experience its beautiful architecture and unique shopping opportunities. Rather than wait for the market to purchase some of the lace ornaments I was seeking, I found some here with Christmas motifs, in the event that I did not encounter them later. The gallery was bedecked with garland, lights, Christmas trees and Santa figures, making us excited for what was to come.

Making our way into the Grande Place, we found Christmas trees both in the square and on the balcony of City Hall, but our main focus was on the life-sized nativity in the center of the square. We joined the queue of fellow visitors, lining the fenced in area to gaze upon the holy scene which depicted the birth of Jesus Christ.

Exiting the Grande Place, we followed the path of small huts erected for the occasion which offered sweets food items, drinks and a variety of gift items. My favorite hut, however, sold smoutbollen, fried donut balls coated in powder sugar, which reminded me of the beignets I usually purchase when I visit my Louisiana home.

After our snack, we headed to Place Sint-Katelijine (Place St. Catherine), an area I am well familiar with as our layover hotel was once located very near and known for its Church of Saint Catherine, the beautiful Victorian church which I wrote about in the past (https://snappingtheglobe.com/?p=5577).

While I had not been extremely impressed (except for the smoutbollen) with the market offerings or the markets appearance near the Grande Place, it was now growing dark and this is what I came to Brussels to see!

*Place Sint-Katelijine Christmas Market*

Two long lines of lighted Christmas huts stretched out before us, ending at the giant red-lighted Ferris wheel. There was a wide array of offerings for purchase and as we shopped our way to the end of one row, we stopped just short of the Ferris wheel to watch the Christmas carol singing moose and then to enter the warm and welcoming champagne bar! Now, I rather fancy myself a beer-kind-of-girl, but joining my friend for some champagne and conversation while we warmed ourselves near the wood-burning stove seemed so festive and I just wanted to stay here all night! However, all good things must come to an end, so we shopped our way back the way we had come and set out to find a nice welcoming Belgian restaurant for dinner while admiring the beautiful Christmas lights above the Brussels’ streets.

*Place Sint-Katelijine Christmas Market* *and Champagne Bar*

My next trip was a few days later to Madrid, Spain. I had read up on the city’s markets and was excited to learn that our hotel overlooked a very nice one just across the street in the Plaza de Espana. While I was excited to experience this particular market, the one that I had my eye on was located in the Plaza Mayor, which I had learned offered nativity sets and individual nativity items. As a collector of unique nativity sets, I was excited to find a special item from Spain.

The market in Plaza de Espana was fairly busy in the afternoon and I was tempted to take a seat in the Paulaner Biergarten for an afternoon beer. Instead, I perused the different stalls and checked out the Christmas tree before making my way on foot towards the Plaza Mayor.

Much to my surprise, I encountered a small market in the Plaza Santo Domingo, but so early in the month, only a handful of the small wooden huts were open. Continuing my walk, I happened upon the Plaza de Isabel II, with its giant metal Christmas tree decorated with red ornaments and a troop of Spanish dancers giving the onlookers a cultural treat.

*Christmas decorations and (a creepy) Santa in Madrid*

*Plaza de Isabel II Christmas Tree (day and night)*

Finally, after what seemed like miles of walking, I found the entrance to the Plaza Mayor. Still late in the afternoon, the lights were not yet illuminated, but I decided to make my way through the maze of red huts that filled the square. On the outskirts, there were many vendors selling wreaths, greenery and other Christmas décor, but each of the stalls in the interior, seemed to offer one of two things…nativity sets or Chinese junk. Indeed, I was in the market for a nativity set, but as I made my way from hut to hut, I realized that it was pretty much all the same type of figurines, in different sizes. I assumed that people purchased an initial set of a particular size and each year, purchased different pieces to add to their collection, beyond the basic setup of Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Kings, shepherds, angels and animals. With what was offered, you could create whole village scenes with running water and electric lights. While if you have the room for this and its your preference, this would be the place to find your yearly addition, however, I was not impressed with the artistry, suspecting that many of these piece were imported and not Spanish made. I didn’t give up, however, traipsing throughout the square, hoping to find an inspirational piece created in Spain, yet all I found from the vendors not selling small cheap toys, hats and odds and ends were the same resin figurines, while dodging children throwing firework poppers in my path and having to skirt parents with large strollers and visitors pushing their way through the crowd.

*Nativity Figurines in Plaza Mayor Christmas Market*

At six o’clock, the square was illuminated and I was happy to be able to see it lit up, bequeathing us all with a festive glow. Taking a quick selfie under the green Christmas tree, I headed out of the square towards Puerta del Sol. Here and there, along the way, I encountered some unique lights over the city streets and in the plaza, the golden lit Christmas tree as well as the lighted Royal Postal Service Building and its iconic clock tower.

There were so many people making their way into the plaza…police were monitoring the streets which were allowing only one-way foot traffic on some streets. Not wishing to remain in a situation, where there could be a potential problem with crowd control, I decided to make my way back home, passing by Plaza de Isabel II once again, but now with its large tree lighted in blue and red. Finally, at Plaza de Espana it was nighttime and it was lit up quite beautifully, with full \-sized lighted nativity figures and more people than I could have imagined filling the square and waiting for their opportunity to take a few turns on the ice skating rink. Seizing a few moments to appreciate the twinkling lights on the real fir Christmas tree, I decided that I had had enough of the crowds that day and it was time to retire to my hotel to rest and have a nice beer in the warmth of the lobby of my hotel, looking out on the throngs of shoppers and holidaymakers! In a few days, I would get the opportunity for the German Christmas market experience…this was the one I was most looking forward to!

*Plaza de Espana Christmas Market at night*

A few days later I was on my way to Frankfurt, Germany. I initially had grand plans of taking the train to Weisbaden and Frankfurt’s Christmas markets, but thankfully, I came to the realization that being a Saturday, all of these markets were going to be extremely crowded and it was best to be conservative with my shopping ambitions. Although I didn’t get much sleep on the airplane and only a couple of hours in my hotel when we arrived, I powered through to arrive in the nearby Mainz market during the early afternoon, first passing through the Schillerplatz which offered a small market fare with a few decorations. Though I longed to see the Mainz market lit during the nighttime hours, less crowds seemed to be a fair tradeoff by going early.

Well, I can tell you, if we had waited until the nighttime hours, there would have been no way to see what we wanted to see, purchase what we wanted to purchase or eat and drink what we wanted to eat and drink. Each booth had lines of people waiting for service and although we were able to buy our potato pancakes, candy coated almonds and gluehwein, it took a lot of perseverance and patience. I was lucky enough to snag my German beer steins quickly, but my little wooden German smoking men, took about a half hour and drinking my entire cup of gluehwein to make the purchase…same for my nativity set at the Kathe Wolhart store.

Still, it was magical, seeing the full-sized nativity, carousels, the six-tiered pyramid and other beautiful decorations. But after fighting crowds for three hours, we headed back to the hotel to meet our crew for happy hour.

A while into our cocktail enjoyment, someone looked out of the window and noticed numerous lighted vehicles passing in front of the hotel. Quickly, we all headed outside and were treated with a parade of lighted farm vehicles. We had no idea where they were coming from or where they were going, but seeing the effort that they put into lighting each one and their attempts to make each unique put us in the Christmas spirit and dissipated my disappointment in not seeing the Mainz Christmas Market lighted at night.

So there it was…a trio of Christmas markets this year, to get me into the spirit!

Next year, which cities will it be?

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Brussels Christmas Markets

https://christmasmarkets.io/belgium/brussels-christmas-market/
https://www.facebook.com/plaisirsdhiver.winterpret.winterwonders/
Address: Grand Place
Address: Place Sainte-Catherine 41, 1000 Brussels, Belgium

Madrid Christmas Markets

https://christmasmarketsineurope.com/madrid-christmas-markets/
Address: Plaza de Espana
Address: Plaza Mayor

Mainz Christmas Market

https://christmasmarketsineurope.com/mainz-christmas-market/

The Bread House

Standing tall in the Grand Place of Brussels, there are two grandiose buildings facing each other that set the tone for the city’s majestic square.

Each is so intricate and beautiful, and I have captured both photographically many times. If you had asked me prior to my last trip, if I knew what each was, however, I would honestly have had to say absolutely not!

On one side, you have Brussels’ City Hall and on the other side is the Broodhuis (Bread House), a UNESCO World Heritage Site which houses the Brussels City Museum. I thought that my husband might have enjoyed visiting City Hall, however, after entering the courtyard and the ticket office, we were informed that the next English tour would not be until later that afternoon. Since we had other plans for later in the day, we decided that the tour would have to wait.

Moving onward, we headed over to Manneken Pis and then the museum that acts as his own personal closet, Garderobe Manneken Pis. As we purchased our admission, we were given the option to buy the combination ticket which also allowed access into the Broodhuis. Mulling over the decision, I learned something that I never knew. The Manneken Pis that every one goes to see (including us) is an IMPOSTER! The real Manneken Pis, for security reasons, is kept in the Broodhuis.

This cemented our decision…we were heading there next!

Once a wooden bread market building built in the 13th century, the Broodhuis was replaced by the Duke of Brabant during the 15th century. While City Hall symbolized the city’s independence, the new Broodhouis was designed to be a symbol of his power.

Also known as the Maison du Roi (King’s House), named for the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, who once owned the Bread House, the building was destroyed in the 16th century and rebuilt in the 19th century in the Gothic Revival style that we see today.

As we made our way through the Broodhuis, we learned a great deal about Brussels’ history. There is much attention given to arts, crafts, archaeology and folklore. One complete room was devoted to casts made from the sculptures from the exterior of the building. It was interesting to be able to see what these sculptural entities, only seen from afar, look like up close. Other rooms, gave particular attention to artifacts, tapestries, models and paintings.

What I loved most about this museum, however, was that for all the beauty that can be spied from the outside, the architectural detail is carried on throughout the interior. Carved doorways, stair railings and vaulted ceilings grace the spaces and as I walked from floor to floor, I couldn’t help but gasp at the light illuminating the intricate stained glass windows.

As astounded as we were to inspect this historic space, however, we really had come to see one thing in particular.

Would the REAL Manneken Pis, please stand up?

Okay, he’s already standing…I just really wanted to use that phrase! But seriously, where was he? As we made our way throughout the museum, we kept expecting to turn each corner and find him. Well, you know how this sort of thing works…naturally, he would be placed in the furthest room on the highest floor!

Finally, we discovered him, alone in a glass case. It was almost anticlimactic as I’m so used to seeing his doppelganger set inside his shell-shaped alcove surrounded by hundreds of his adoring fans.

But, alas, we had found him (the REAL him) set inside one of Brussels’ most historic edifices! SO…with the price of a ticket, you have access to two of the city’s most important treasures!

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Brussels City Museum

http://www.brusselscitymuseum.brussels/en
Address: Musée de la Ville de Bruxelles, Grand-Place, 1000 Bruxelles
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 1000-1700. Closed on Mondays, January 1, May 1, November 1, November 11 and December 25
Admission: Adults ages 18+, 4€. Under age 18 and citizens of Brussels, free. Free with Brussels card and on the first Sunday of the month. You can purchase a combined ticket for both the Garderobe Manneken Pis and the BrusselsCity Museum, 8€.
Getting There: Bourse tram stop, #3 or #4, , Bus, #48 or #95, Metro, Central Station / Brouckère, Train, Central Station

Manneken Peace

Every woman loves a good outfit!

Why shouldn’t a statue?

Mannekin Pis, the statue which is a huge part of Brussels’ cultural heritage, is one of my favorite landmarks to take new visitors to the city to see. So when my husband joined me on a recent trip, the first place I took him was to see the little “Pissing Boy.”

I have visited this statue on many occasions, but this time, as luck would have it, was the first time I was able to see him in one of his costumes! This was such a coincidence as we were also on our way to the statue’s own special museum. The Garderobe Manneken Pis is located just down the street and houses the statue’s vast collection of costumes. It’s like his own personal closet!

Once housed in the Maison du Roi on the Grand Place, the wardrobe was moved to its current location in February 2017. It was surprising to find it to be such a small museum as I knew that his wardrobe consists of nearly 1,000 items.

The museum displays a selection of more than one hundred costumes, (some dating back to the 17th century) that are presented according to seven themes, geography, folklore, charity and citizens’ associations, trades, celebrities and characters, sports and designers. He is gifted with about fifteen or so new costumes each year and regularly wears the costumes from his collection, being dressed up about 130 times per year.

But where do his costumes come from?

In order to present Manneken Pis with a costume, a request must be made to the Mayor and the Aldermen of the City of Brussels. Certain stipulations must be met before the costume can be accepted, such as the quality of the fabric and that the costume is not being used to promote political purposes, political beliefs or advertising. If the proposal is accepted, the donors are responsible for the creation of the costume according to strict instructions. An official ceremony is then scheduled to be held in City Hall where the new costume is formally received. A procession to the fountain follows the ceremony, where the official dresser presents the new outfit to Manneken Pis and his is outfitted in his newest duds. He wears this new outfit for the rest of the day and it then officially becomes part of his wardrobe. From this time on, the donors can then make a request for Manneken Pis to be dressed in their costume for specific occasions, such as national days of celebrations, a meeting for members of an association or fellowship or to mark a sporting, cultural or charity event.

The costumes were stunning, whimsical, unique and classical. Many come from all over the world, though a great deal (not surprisingly) were donated from his home country of Beligium. My favorites included Mickey Mouse (1969), a traditional costume from Bolivia (2007) and a replica of the original costume given by King Louis XV of France in 1745, which is the oldest outfit in Manneken Pis’s wardrobe.

Some pieces have not withstood the test of time, so in order to view the entire collection, the museum offers an interactive terminal. My favorite thing, however, was the area for visitor’s to dress a replica of Manneken Pis, which, of course, I had to do!

Wouldn’t it be fun to be Manneken Pis’s dresser? I think that this must be a highly coveted job and I wouldn’t mind a piece of that action…keeping Manneken Pis clothed to celebrate events and traditions! Must give him peace to know that he doesn’t have to always be naked! 🙂

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Garderobe Manneken Pis

https://www.brusselsmuseums.be/en/museums/garderobe-mannekenpis
Address: Rue du Chêne 19 Bruxelles
Hours: Tuesday- Sunday, 1000-1700. Closed on Mondays and on January 1, January 5, January 11, November 11, December 25 and December 31. Closes at 1600 on December 24 and December 31.
Admission: Adults ages 18+, 4€. Under age 18 and citizens of Brussels, free. Free with Brussels card and on the first Sunday of the month. You can purchase a combined ticket for both the Garderobe Manneken Pis and the BrusselsCity Museum, 8€.
Getting There: Metro, station Bourse/Beurs, lines 3 and 4. Bus stops, Grand Place/Grote Markt and Cesar de Paepe.

Full List of costumes and origination dates

Out Of This World

Happy to be going to a different location this weekend, I sat in front of my computer and googled “Things to Do In Brussels”. The usual stuff was displayed on my screen.

The Grand Place…no trip is complete without wandering around the main square and I knew at some point during this trip, I would probably end up there.

Day trips to Bruges…my god, how I wish I had the time!!!

Mannekin Pis…seriously…how many times can I watch him pee?

The Atomium…now, here is something I haven’t done.

Located in the northern part of the city between the royal estates of Laeken and Stuyvenbergh, the Atomium is a structure originally built for the Expo 58, the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair. An unusual fabrication, it forms the shape of a unit cell of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times! Now a famous landmark and museum, it has become the most popular tourist attraction and the symbol of Europe’s capital city.

Though the trip to the northern part of the city is normally an uncomplicated one, we soon discovered that work was being done on the train lines. After riding the metro back and forth between two stations and pairing up with three Swedish women, we all found that we had to exit that station and take a specially marked bus to the Atomium.

A short walk later, we found ourselves staring up at the amazing, shiny structure that appears to have been deposited by aliens! Something truly out of this world!

Making our way to the base of the Atomium, we found our way to a long, snaking line in order to purchase tickets. 12 euros later, we again found ourselves in another line to enter to building, having to pass thru metal detectors and endure bag searches.

Finally…another line…but this time to make our way up to the permanent exhibition on the second floor.

The permanent exhibition details how the Atomium came to be, from the conception and designs of engineer André Waterkeyn and architects André and Jean Polak. Standing 335 feet tall, its nine, 60 foot diameter stainless steel clad connected spheres represent the faith one had in the power of science and nuclear power. The 1958 World’s Fair was organized, at the time, to promote the world’s technological and scientific advances, to look to a better future and to encourage world peace. There are many sketches and displays detailing the beginnings of this immense engineering project as well as many old pictures, some detailing the visits of the six million visitors to the fair, including the likes of celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor.

Though some of the information was interesting, the area appeared to be straight out the 1950’s and cartoon, the Jetson’s…very much in need of an update!

From the Atomium map, it seemed that we should have been able to traverse the tubes to other exhibitions throughout the structure, however, we were sent back to the bottom floor after our tour of the permanent exhibition. Corralled into another area, we found ourselves in line…once again…this time to take the elevator to the top, viewing level.

Finally, arriving at the top sphere, we were rewarded with 360 degree views of the surrounding area and the city of Brussels. With bright, blue, sunny skies it was easy to see areas far away as well as the royal estates nearby and Mini-Europe almost directly beneath.

After making our way around the top of the Atomium, we ascended the stairs to the restaurant at the top of the orb, where we once again encountered our Swedish friends. Though the restaurant Belgium Taste, has a full menu, having a drink to appreciate the beautiful views through the full-length windows appears to be the norm later in the afternoon.

Once again, standing in line for the elevator, we made our way to the base of the Atomium, through the gift shop and out of the building. Heading down the avenue, we walked far enough to reach the roundabout where a vast amount of tulips were planted for some colorful pictures and then further down to a fountain, passing monuments and parks along the way.

Finding ourselves further from the bus drop off and remembering the disruption on the subway lines, we decided to make our way home via tram. Taking a tram from Centenaire, we traveled to De Wand where we encountered amazing grafitti throughout the area. Taking a few minutes, we snapped a few photos before our tram arrived. Departing De Wand, we were able to travel all the way to the Bourse near the Grand Place.

See…I told you I would end up in the Grand Place at some point.

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The Atomium

Address: Avenue de l’Atomium, 1020 Bruxelles, Belgium
Hours: Daily, 1000-1800 (box office closes at 1730)
Admission: Adults (18-59 years), €12, Children (under 6), coach drivers, people with disabilities, free, Children (6 – 11 yrs), €6, Teens (12 – 17 yrs), €8, Students (with student ID), €8, Senior citizens (aged 60 yo and above): €9
Combination tickets may be purchased with ADAM (Art and Design Museum) and the adjacent Mini Europe.
Getting There: The Atomium is a 5 minute walk from the Heysel / Heizel metro station (line 6) and right opposite Mini-Europe. You can also depart Bourse station near the Grand place and switch at De Wand station to Centenaire (Line 19 or 23) for a more colorful journey or in the event of subway disruption.

Brussels…Beyond Words

Brussels has a quiet beauty.

When you walk around the city, there are magnificent buildings all around you. Unlike other European cities, however, it’s not an in-your-face kind of grandeur.

Since it doesn’t jump out at you, time should be taken to stop and inspect each and every building, especially when in the Grand Place, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. The details are just amazing!

Spend some time walking around the city without a map. There are lesser known areas that sometimes get overlooked because everyone concentrates on the Grand Place and Mannekin Pis. Walking around searching for new boots on my last trip (my zipper broke on the ones I brought), I stumbled upon Place des Martyr’s.

Place des Martyr’s or Martyr’s Square is a square in the center of Brussels dedicated to the days of the Belgian Revolution of 1830 and those who lost their lives. A monument and crypt stand in the middles of the square and contain the bodies of 400 heroes from the revolution, many of which lie not far from where they were shot during the battles fought in the streets of Brussels.

In addition, the Flemish government cabinet offices are located around the square and are quite beautiful in their symmetry, laid out in the uniform neoclassical style in the years 1774-1778.

You will also notice not-so-historical things on your walk through Brussels. Although you can visit the Musee Magritte or Belgian Comic Strip Center, both located in the heart of Brussels, some pieces of art reside on the sides of buildings, on garage doors and on metro walls. There are some exciting street artists residing in Brussels and their masterpieces will surprise and delight!

Other things that are unique to Brussels are the indoor shopping galleries. The first indoor malls, these glass covered promenades host restaurants, chocolate shops and high end stores for fashionistas.

Lastly, eat, drink and be merry! Belgium is known for some of the best beer, chocolate and waffles! Visit Delirium Monasterium, considered the temple of Belgian beer, serving countless selections of beers from over 60 countries. Relax at the bar and let the bartender choose a flight of beers for you to try! You won’t be disappointed…but maybe a little tipsy!

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Delirium Monasterium

http://www.deliriumvillage.com/
Address: Impasse de la Fidelite 4 | Getrouwheidsgang, Brussels
Hours: Monday thru Saturday, 1000-0400, Sunday, 1000-0200

The Church and the Tower

What if you woke up to this every day?

Visiting a friend in the Lower Town of Brussels, I was amazed when I looked out of her window and saw that this was her every-day view…the Gothic St. Catherine’s church!

This beautiful church (also known as the Eglise Sainte-Catherine and Sint-Katelijnekerk) is located about a ten minute walk from the Grand Place. It was built on the site of the former fish market and today faces the site of a regular market where you can find typical Belgian products such as seafood, cheese and local vegetables.

St. Catherine’s was originally built in the 15th century but completely redesigned between 1854 and 1859 by the famous artist Joseph Poelaert who was inspired by the Église St Eustache in Paris. The only part left of the 15th century church is the Baroque tower which was added in 1629 and is located aside the church.

The interior of the church contains many baroque artworks, including a small statue of the Black Madonna, dating back to the 14th century, at the left side of the altar. Other notable items are a Flemish pulpit and two beautiful tombs carved by Gilles-Lambert Godecharle and a portrait of Saint Catherine.

After your visit to St. Catherine’s church is complete make sure to check out the Tour Noire (Black Tower) located on the side of the NH Hotel and diagonal from St. Catherine’s. This 12th century tower, still stands strong and is the lone surviving part of the ancient stone city walls.

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St. Catherine’s Church

http://eglisesaintecatherine.be/
Address: Pl. Sainte-Catherine, 1000 Brussels
Hours: Monday thru Saturday, 0900-2000, Sunday, 0930-1900
Admission: free
Getting There: Located about 10 minutes from the Grand Place, it is a nice walk but can also be reached by metro, Ste-Catherine stop.

To Pee or Not to Pee?

There are many things to do in the Belgian capital of Brussels…museums, historic buildings, parks, peeing statues…

Peeing statues? What?

Yes, there is a peeing statue. In fact there are three, but the most famous peeing statue, Mannekin Pis, is one of the most visited sites in Brussels. Go figure…a small naked boy urinating into a fountain’s basin brings thousands of tourists to a street corner in Brussels. He is so famous in fact, that he has his own wardrobe that is changed throughout the year with the changing accompanied by a brass band and much fanfare!

When I first visited Brussels, many years ago, one of the first things I did was to visit this statue. He was adorable and fascinating, however, you could not help but be quite shocked as to how small he actually was. So many people tell you that you absolutely “must” see the statue, that in your mind you envision him to be of epic proportions. Instead, he is a diminutive 24 inches. Everyone is right, however, you absolutely “must” go and find him!

On my past visit to the Belgian city, I decided to go out in search of Mannekin Pis’ female counterpart, Jeanneke Pis. I had heard of Jeanneke Pis, but had no idea where she was located. While relaying my plans to a friend, she surprised me with a question.

“Are you going to go find the dog, too?”

A peeing dog? In Brussels? Really? I had never heard of this one. I decided to add him to my to my sightseeing list for the day.

With vague instructions from my friend and a little help from Google, I headed out onto the streets of Brussels and found that Het Zinneke, the peeing dog, was located quite near my hotel. Although he is not actually a fountain like Mannekin and Jeanneke, he is still something of a tourist attraction with many people stopping to snap a picture or mimic his pose.

The statue, sometimes erroneously referred to as Zinneke Pis, was erected in 1998 and created by Tom Frantzen. Sadly, his position on the street level leaves him very vulnerable to vandals and street traffic. In August of 2015, he was struck by an automobile, but was later restored by the sculptor.

Many consider Het Zinneke to be a mascot of the city which is logical as his name in Brussels dialect means “someone of mixed origins”, absolutely a representation of the mixture of populations living in Brussels.

Moving on, I made my way to the Rue de L’Ecuyer. Checking my Google maps, the location showed as being in front of the Theatre Royal des Galeries. Walking back and forth, and then into the shopping arcade, I saw nothing. No crowd of gawkers, no statue.

After traipsing back and forth, several times, I finally ducked into a gallery and asked for help. For some reason, my map was showing Jeanneken Pis’ location directly on Rue de l’Ecuyer, however, although it is extremely close, it is behind a building on the Rue de l’Ecuyer, accessible by small alleyways. The friendly employees at the gallery began to explain to me how to find the statue, however, one of them, probably seizing the opportunity to duck out for a smoke break, offered to take me there. Walking down the Rue des Dominicains, we took a right onto Rue des Bouchers and then finally another right onto the Impasse de la Fidélité. There, by the famous Delirium Bar, Jeanneke resides in the alley, locked behind bars.

Though there were a handful of tourists admiring the statue, there were nowhere near the number that visit her brother and I was a bit dismayed to find her in a dark, damp alley that smelled of stale beer. Not a proper place for a little girl.

Commissioned in 1985 by Denis-Adrien Debouvrie and erected in 1987, Jeanneke Pis, like Mannekin Pis is constructed of bronze and depicts a little girl with a short pig-tailed hairstyle, squatting and urinating on a blue-grey limestone base. Protected by large, red steel bars, it is hard to get a good picture unless you poke your camera past the metal railings, however, once you’ve made the trek and actually found Jeanneke, you can reward yourself with one of the unique selections of beers at Delirium Bar across the alleyway.

My last stop that day, would conclude my Peeing Statue tour. Mannekin Pis. Since, I had visited the dog and his sister, of course, I would, once again, have to see the centuries old statue that started it all!

The current Mannekin Pis, standing at the intersection of Rue de l’Étuve/Stoffstraat and Rue du Chêne/Eikstraat, is not the original that was designed by Brussels sculptor, Hiëronymus Duquesnoy the Elder, and placed in this location in the early 1600’s. The original figure was repeatedly stolen and finally replaced with the current piece dating from 1965. The original restored version is kept at the Maison du Roi/Broodhuis on the Grand Place.

There are many stories behind the statue’s existence with the most famous being one about Duke Godfrey III of Leuven, a two year old lord. In 1142, his troops were battling the troops of the Berthouts and the lords of Grimbergen in Ransbeke. It is said that the troops put the infant lord in a basket, hung in a tree to encourage them. The young lord urinated on the troops of the Berthouts, who eventually lost the battle.

Once again, standing before the small effigy, I marveled at the massive crowd gathered before him. How could such a small statue, hold such a large place in the heart of Belgium? Well, he just does. Everyone loves Mannekin Pis.

So, if you are in Brussels and wondering what your first port of call should be, head down to the intersection of Rue de l’Étuve/Stoffstraat and Rue du Chêne/Eikstraat, fight the crowds and take a selfie with the iconic figure of Mannekin Pis. Go to one of the many souvenir shops and buy a chocolate Mannekin Pis and if you are lucky, you might see him in costume or be there on a day when he is connected to a keg of Belgian beer! Grab a cup of the brew and go find his sister, Jeanneke and his friend, Het Zenneke.

For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.

Mannekin Pis

http://www.brussels.be/artdet.cfm/4328
Address: Lievevrouwbroersstraat 31, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
Hours: 24 hours, daily
Admission: free
Getting There: Take the left lane next to the Brussels Town Hall from the Grand Place and walk a few hundred meters southwest via Rue Charles Buls/Karel Bulsstraat. The statue is located at the junction of Rue de l’Étuve/Stoofstraat and Rue du Chêne/Eik.straat

Jeanneke Pis

http://www.jeannekepisofficial.com/
Address: Impasse de la Fidélité 10-12, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
Hours: 24 hours, daily
Admission: free
Getting There: From Rue de l’Ecuyer, head southwest on Rue des Dominicains. Take a right onto Rue des Bouchers and another right onto the Impasse de la Fidélité. From the Grand Place, head northeast onto Petite Rue des Bouchers. Take a left onto Rue des Bouchers and then a right onto the Impasse de la Fidélité.

Het Zinneke

Address: Rue des Chartreux 35, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
Hours: 24 hours, daily
Admission: free
Getting There: Northwest of the Grand Place, just off of Rue des Poissoniers, head west on Rue des Chartreux. Het Zinneke is on the right side a few blocks up the road.

01/05/1698	0	Habit rich Maximilian (see No. 677)
31/05/1747	1	Habit given by King Louis XV
01/01/1770	2	Gala costume, City of Brussels (exact date unknown)
01/01/1790	3	Marquis (exact date unknown)
01/01/1820	4	Gala Habit (exact date unknown)
01/01/1830	6	Volunteer of the Belgian Revolution (exact date unknown) – New outfit available in 2006, see No. 781 (date précise inconnue) – Nouveau costume offert en 2006, voir n°781
01/01/1852	5	1852 gala dress (exact date unknown)
29/11/1918	7	“Jass” of the 12th regiment of Line Petite out dress – Gift of the City of Brussels with the money made by the elders of 1870 and 14/18
06/03/1919	8	19th Battalion of the French foot Hunters – Don Ducornez the Commander. 11/10/45 wore to visit the General De Gaulle
19/11/1921	9	Student of the ULB (see No. 690)
11/06/1922	10	Boy Scout Baden Powell – 10th anniversary of the police Brussels
22/04/1923	11	Alsace – Don bourgeois Colmar
11/05/1927	12	Service clubs “The Gays Fellows” – 50th anniversary of the Royal Circle and Philanthropy
16/01/1928	13	Jimbaori costume Samurai, Asahi Journal
07/01/1929	14	Gille de Binche (see No. 916)
17/02/1929	15	Huntsman Brabant Brabant Rally. Master Crews from Belgium
21/06/1930	16	1st Regiment Carabinieri 100th anniversary Grande held in use until 1914
12/10/1930	17	Minor in the region of Mons President of the Society of United Decorated Charbonnages West from Mons to Boussu. Visit to Brussels to Labor Day
09/01/1931	18	India child Parsee religion, Bombay (or 14/01/1931)
03/03/1932	19	Sioux Indian Circus Sarrasini (demonstration in Monoment fairground)
11/12/1932	20	Gunner, 2nd Artillery Regiment Fraternal old Raiment in use until 1914
01/10/1933	21	“Piot” 10th anniversary of the 9th Regiment of the Line Fraternal Petite out dress before 1914
27/05/1934	22	Conservatory System Old 35th anniversary of philanthropy
04/06/1935	23	Polynesian dancer
03/08/1935	24	Alsatian
26/09/1935	25	Great Daimyo armor shops Matsu Zakaia Remembrance visiting If Mr Thys, Special Ambassador for the emperor to announce the death of Albert I and the advent of Leopold III
05/05/1936	26	Mr. Noble Kigo Japanese architect in Osaka
26/01/1937	27	1st Regiment of Grenadiers Regiment Centennial
31/05/1937	28	Lawyer toga
05/07/1938	29	Boater, Circle 60th Anniversary Regatta
19/02/1939	30	Pierrot the circle “The Nameless” Cercle Royal choral and philanthropy founded in 1883
27/02/1939	31	Student Liège Royal Association of medical students and pharmacy (or 02.28.1939)
20/05/1941	32	Corporal Don 9th Line Regiment Lady-Ackermans Top
29/07/1945	33	Sergeant Welsh Guards – Raiment peacetime. Commemoration of September 3, 1944
04/09/1945	34	Liberation Brigade Piron – Jean Piron Brigade Commander
20/10/1945	35	Belgian paratrooper Special Air Service
21/10/1945	36	Member of the National Movement MNB Belgian. MP receives honorary brigade municipal utilities and provincial lecommandement
27/10/1945	37	US Marine Commander Don Boas Dressed October 27, “Navy Day” in the USA
15/12/1945	38	Sergeant Pilot RAF December 15: the anniversary of the Battle of Britain (8 / 08-31 / 10/40)
13/02/1946	39	Sergeant Major of the PM April 6: the anniversary of the entry into the war the Army of the USA in 14/18