Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Dauer Museum of Classic Cars
Peasish (Hrachovina).
‘Hrachovina’
The Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial
The glass mural of old Zacatlán
Vitromurales de Zacatlán
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è pasta... E pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Tripe is fried to a crisp.
L’Osteria della Trippa
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Rats didn’t take over the city by being foolhardy.
Do New York City Rats Deserve Their Bad Rap?
about 13 hours ago
The Secret Gardens Saving the World’s Rarest Plants
about 17 hours ago
Solo travel can be challenging and sometimes lonely, but it also often leads to the greatest adventures.
Dear Atlas: How Do I Unplug on a Solo Trip?
1 day ago
Museum of Friends
The Art in This Museum Was Donated for Free
1 day ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Belgium Mons The Guardhouse Monkey

The Guardhouse Monkey

Petting this mysterious iron monkey supposedly brings good luck.

Mons, Belgium

Added By
briansaunders
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The Guardhouse Monkey   Teemu Mäntynen on Flickr
The Guardhouse Monkey   Teemu Mäntynen on Flickr
The Guardhouse Monkey   ines saraiva on Flickr
Patting the monkey’s head may bring good luck.   ines saraiva on Flickr
Mons   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Among the many pieces of elaborate historical architecture and decoration in the scenic city of Mons, the so-called Guardhouse Monkey may be the most mysterious.

Located just outside the entrance of the Mons city hall, the small metal simian has been a fixture of the city for several centuries, yet no one is quite sure where the little rascal came from, although there are a number of theories. It may have been a blacksmith's "masterpiece," literally a test of skill that would grant the craftsman the title of master blacksmith. It has also been posited that the monkey was once a pillory, where criminals would be taken to be publicly shamed. Although given the small stature of the piece it was likely that this was such a site specifically for wayward children. Still others have theorized that the statue was once part of a tavern sign that has long since been lost.

Despite its murky origins, the iron animal continues to be a popular public fixture. Locals insist that rubbing the monkey's head will provide good luck and possibly even grant wishes. This custom is so prevalent that the metal on the Guardhouse Monkey's head has been polished to a shine over centuries of passersby looking to make a wish on something more reliable than just a monkey's paw.  

Related Tags

Monkeys Luck Statues Public Animals

Community Contributors

Added By

briansaunders

Edited By

Rachel, EricGrundhauser, philoursmars

  • Rachel
  • EricGrundhauser
  • philoursmars

Published

November 3, 2013

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.afar.com/highlights/the-guardhouse-monkey
  • http://www.trabel.com/mons/mons-history.htm
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mons#The_Guardhouse_Monkey
The Guardhouse Monkey
Grand-Place 22
Mons, 7000
Belgium
50.454904, 3.952215
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Mundaneum

Mons, Belgium

miles away

Strépy-Thieu Boat Lift

Le Roeulx, Belgium

miles away

Carnival of Binche

Binche, Belgium

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Mons

Mons

Belgium

Places 3

Nearby Places

Mundaneum

Mons, Belgium

miles away

Strépy-Thieu Boat Lift

Le Roeulx, Belgium

miles away

Carnival of Binche

Binche, Belgium

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Mons

Mons

Belgium

Places 3

Related Stories and Lists

20 Statues to Rub for Good Luck

List

By Roxanne Hoorn

15 Unlikely Places to Re-Up Your Luck

List

By Kavya Ram Mohan

Related Places

  • Drink from the fountain of ideas!

    Yonezawa, Japan

    The Fountain of Ideas

    Ward off bad luck and fill your bottle with "the most watery water" at this little roadside shrine in Yonezawa.

  • An angry-looking cat on the side of the canal.

    Suzhou, China

    The Seven Cats of Shantang Street

    Thanks to a bit of wordplay, seven auspicious stone cats guard this ancient canalside street.

  • Heidelberg’s Old Bridge Monkey.

    Heidelberg, Germany

    Heidelberg Bridge Monkey

    It's good luck to be mocked by this monkey.

  • The Lemmings statue in Dundee.

    Dundee, Scotland

    Lemmings Statue

    A bronze tribute to the wildly popular video game from the '90s.

  • Mrs Mallard and her entire brood.

    Boston, Massachusetts

    Make Way for Ducklings Statue

    Mrs. Mallard and her brood are a beloved fixture in Boston Public Garden.

  • The owl figure is found on north side of of Notre Dame de Dijon

    Dijon, France

    The Magic Owl of Dijon

    For over 300 years this little carving has been the city’s good luck charm.

  • Cat Statues of York

    York, England

    Cat Statues of York

    A century-old tradition has culminated in a small but singular collection of feline effigies.

  • Garbage goat in 2018.

    Spokane, Washington

    Garbage Goat

    This inanimate goat created by the "welding nun" has been helping to clean up the city of Spokane for more than 40 years.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.