Manneken Pis |
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is a 61-centimeter-high figurine that is part of the city fountain, which next to the Atomium and the Main Square has become one of the most famous symbols of Brussels. Initially, it was an ordinary fountain, which from the 15th century played an important role in the distribution of drinking water. When it lost its main function in the city's water transport network in the 19th century, it slowly became a symbol of Brussels folklore.
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A small fountain stands on the street corner du Chene i de l'Etuve. It was built at the end of the Middle Ages, when Brussels was in the process of developing a public water supply network. In 1619, the Brussels authorities decided to rebuild the fountain. Changed the column, pool, and statue. The original stone statue was replaced by a bronze model commissioned by the authorities and made by a sculptor Jérôme Duquesnoy the Elder. It was stolen by the English, then the French.
King Louis XV of France ordered the return of a sculpture of a boy stolen by his soldiers, dressing it in the magnificent uniform of an officer of the French Guard to relieve tension. This costume is today the oldest preserved costume worn by Manneken Pis. From the 15th to the 18th century, the figure of a peeing boy was popular in art, and was often used in the creation of fountains in Europe.
King Louis XV of France ordered the return of a sculpture of a boy stolen by his soldiers, dressing it in the magnificent uniform of an officer of the French Guard to relieve tension. This costume is today the oldest preserved costume worn by Manneken Pis. From the 15th to the 18th century, the figure of a peeing boy was popular in art, and was often used in the creation of fountains in Europe.
Manneken Pis-Jeanneken Pis-Zinneke Pis
It is known that in the 17th century Manneken Pis was dressed at least four times a year. Nowadays, the figurine is dressed up about 130 times a year. In 1770, the simple column on which the statue was mounted was replaced with a Rococo background taken from another city fountain. In 1965 the sculpture was destroyed and disappeared. The Brussels authorities commissioned a copy to replace the original. A year later, the original statue was found in the canal.
It is currently on display at the City Museum, which also houses a collection of almost a thousand costumes worn by Manneken Pis. In 1985, Belgian feminists demanded a girl's version of the monument. This is how the Jeanneke Pis figurine was created located on Impasse de la Fidelte, crossroads icy rue des Bouchers. In later years, more was created Zinneke Pis, or a figurine of a peeing dog. It was located at the intersection of Rue des Chartreux and Rue du Vieux Marche aux Grains, in the district St. Géry.
It is currently on display at the City Museum, which also houses a collection of almost a thousand costumes worn by Manneken Pis. In 1985, Belgian feminists demanded a girl's version of the monument. This is how the Jeanneke Pis figurine was created located on Impasse de la Fidelte, crossroads icy rue des Bouchers. In later years, more was created Zinneke Pis, or a figurine of a peeing dog. It was located at the intersection of Rue des Chartreux and Rue du Vieux Marche aux Grains, in the district St. Géry.
It is worth starting a walk through the streets around the Grand Place. There are many interesting tenement houses here. Of course, they are not as spectacular as those on the main square, but they are just as charming. The most famous street is, of course, Rue des Bouchers, which retains its medieval name from the days when meat was traded on its cobblestones.
The street, accessible only to pedestrians, is today called the belly of Brussels, which refers to cafes and restaurants located here. Here you can enjoy specialties typical of Belgian cuisine, but also try dishes from other regions of the world. The street is always full of tourists taking a break here while exploring the city.
The street, accessible only to pedestrians, is today called the belly of Brussels, which refers to cafes and restaurants located here. Here you can enjoy specialties typical of Belgian cuisine, but also try dishes from other regions of the world. The street is always full of tourists taking a break here while exploring the city.
Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert |
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The 200-meter-long glass-covered shopping street was designed by Jean Pierre Cluysenaar, which he created two monumental galleries, entirely covered with a glass roof. The galleries were built in the Italian Renaissance style. The interior design was done by Joseph Jacquet. The facility was opened in 1847 by King Leopold I of Belgium.
The passage, formerly known as the umbrella of Brussels, was the best example of the city's commercial development in the 19th and 20th centuries. This is one of the first shopping malls in the world. It consists of: the King's Gallery, the Queen's Gallery and the Princes' Gallery (fr. Les Galeries de la Reine, du Roi et des Princes). |
The first Lumiere brothers' cinema screening took place in 1896 at Galerie de la Reine, at number 7 (now it houses a shop selling authentic Brussels lace). The gallery was created as a link between various functions of the city: cultural, commercial and entertainment. For 150 years, high-class shops, boutiques and restaurants have existed under one roof. and cafes. Here you will also find the Museum of Letters and Manuscripts, a cinema, the EXPO gallery, as well as the Royal Theatre and the Vaudeville Theatre.
Gallery address: Galerie du Roi 5, 1000 Bruxelles