One of the most treasured monuments in Brussels, Belgium, is the Manneken-Pis. This statue features a young boy urinating into a fountain pool that once provided drinking water to the city during the 15th century. The original statue made from stone was named Little Julian and constructed in the 14th century. Now the Manneken-Pis is a bronze statue that was built in 1619 by Jerôme Duquesnoy. While the origin of the statue is unclear, one legend says the boy urinated to put out a fire that saved the entire city centuries ago. The Manneken-Pis has a regular wardrobe change between one of 800 outfits in a formal ceremony by the city, including costumes resembling Elvis Presley, W.A. Mozart and Nelson Mandela. Following each ceremony, the Manneken-Pis rewards the city by supplying beverages, such as beer, through its fountain. Visit the Manneken-Pis, located near the Grand Place in the city square, free of charge.
New York City is home to the Amiable Child Monument, marking one of the only private graves within the city. A 5-year-old named St. Claire Pollock perished in 1797, most likely from an accidental plunge into the Hudson River. The child's headstone was preserved, thanks to instructions left by the child's father that requested the child's grave monument be honored and remain intact in honor of the father's favorite child. Throughout the centuries the family property changed hands and eventually came to rest as the Claremont Inn in 1860, and later, the Riverside Park in 1873. Royal families and wealthy socialites frequented the popular inn located on the property. On April 27, 1897, a monumental grave, Grant's Tomb, featuring a domed structure was designed to honor the Amiable Child Monument. Grant's Tomb is New York's most famous monumental grave, serving as a testament to the touching tribute to a beloved child who died so young.
A religious child monument, the Infant Jesus of Prague, is a wooden statue representing Jesus as a baby. Located at the church of Our Lady of Victory, visitors frequent the monument from around the world. A sacred symbol, the baby stands with its right hand raised in praise and holds a ball featuring a cross. Originally from Spain, legend says that the statue was a gift from St. Teresa of Avila, while another legend describes a vision from a monk lead to the creation of the statue. The statue was actually a wedding gift to Duchess Maria Manrique de Lara in 1556 from her mother that was passed on to her daughter and later given to the Discalced Carmelites monastery, founded by St. Teresa. In 1637, following the Thirty Years' War, the statue had been damaged and abandoned only to be discovered by Father Cyril of the Mother of God who repaired the infant statue. The infant statue of Jesus was crowned by the Bishop of Prague and the well-respected monument is attributed to blessings and miracles of residents and those visiting on holy pilgrimages.
