BELGIUM: The Manneken-Pis, a bronze statue of a young boy urinating that is a symbol of Brussels and a major tourist attraction, has had to stop peeing because of sub-zero temperatures

Record ID: 625440

  • Title: BELGIUM: The Manneken-Pis, a bronze statue of a young boy urinating that is a symbol of Brussels and a major tourist attraction, has had to stop peeing because of sub-zero temperatures
  • Date: 3rd February 2012
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (French) CATHERINE GAUTHIER, IN CHARGE OF COLLECTION AT BRUSSELS MUSEUM, SAYING: "Sometimes we have to stop the water running for other reasons, to change the Manneken-Pis' costume, or if he has to pee beer or wine. In those cases we stop the water and we replace it with beer or wine." MANNEKEN-PIS NOT PEEING (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURIST FROM CANADA, TOM HE
  • Embargoed: 18th February 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Belgium, Belgium
  • Country: Belgium
  • Topics: Environment,Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA6X5XRM13F4NZNA86LIZJK7T4N
  • Story Text: The Manneken-Pis, a bronze statue of a young boy urinating that is a symbol of Brussels and a major tourist attraction, has had to stop peeing because of sub-zero temperatures.
    Officials turned off the flow of water through the statue, which has stood on a Brussels corner since the 1600s, out of concern the cold might damage its internal mechanism.
    Temperatures in the Belgian capital were set to fall to minus 10 Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit), far below the average minimum for February.
    "I don't know how long he will be able to hold it in but I hope everyone crosses their fingers for the weather to improve so that he can pee again, like any other little boy who find difficult to hold it in!" Catherine Gauthier, in charge of the Manneken-Pis collection at Brussels Museum, told Reuters.
    It is not the first time the little boy stopped peeing. The Manneken-Pis can also stop peeing for other reasons than the cold, Gauthier said.
    "Sometimes we have to stop the water running for other reasons, to change the Manneken-Pis' costume, or if he has to pee beer or wine. In those cases we cut the water off and replace it with beer or wine," Gauthier said.
    Gauthier said it was not possible to use antifreeze as it may damage the statue.
    The statue, which is on the site of a 15th Century drinking fountain, has 884 specially made outfits which city officials use to dress it up during the year.
    It is one of Brussels' most popular attractions and tops the list of many tourists.
    "It's one of those things you have got to see, like The Little Mermaid in Copenhagen and you know and I guess the Eiffel Tower in France in Paris so I thought it would be interesting to you know just to see it and to say 'I was actually here' and check mark it off my you know off my list of things to see," said Canadian tourist Tom Herbetko, adding he was thinking of coming back to Brussels, just to see the Manneken-Pis in action.
    Brazilian tourist Marianne Maeda said the little statue was ''less charming'' without the pee.
    There are many legends surrounding the Manneken-Pis, perhaps to make it more acceptable to Brussels residents at the time of its construction - in 1619. One of the most widely circulated is that a little boy saved the city of Brussels by peeing over a fire started by troops besieging the town.
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