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One of the symbols of Mons is the little monkey which sits on the left side of the entrance to the Town Hall. Legend has it that this medieval monkey statue brings luck to those who caress him (with their left hand !). Famous people have paid him a visit in the past : Emperor Charles V of Habsburg, Emperor Napoleon of France and Emperor Hakyito of Japan.
Every year on Trinity Sunday all the people of
Mons witness the traditional and annual Car d'or procession. The guilded
wagon (which during the year can be seen in the Saint Wautru church) was
made in the 17th century by Ghienne and Midavaine. During the procession the
wagon carries the relic shrine of Saint Waudru through the streets of the
city, accompanied by musicians, singers, flag-bearers and horsemen. Legend
has it that Mons will get in trouble if the horses do not carry the shrine
back to the church without hampering.On the same day as the Car d'or procession, the famous 'Lumeçon' battle takes place in Mons. The battle is based on the story of Saint George slaying the dragon. In 1380 a fellowship called 'Dieu et Monseigneur Georges' (God and Sire George) was founded. Its aim was to preserve the veneration of Saint Georges and, for the members of the fellowship to accompany his relic shrine during the annual procession of the Car D'or. To illustrate Saint George's battle against evil, a play during which the dragon was killed became part of the entire Trinity procession in Mons. Saint Georges, dressed with a yellow helmet and white pants, is accompanied by helpers (les Chinchins). The green dragon is made of willow branches, and its tail is a young tree. It is 9,5 meters long and weighs about 180 Kg.
Inside the courtyard of the Town Hall, in the 'Jardin du Mayeur' (the
Mayor's garden) stands a fountain of the 'ropieur', a boy who teased
passers-by by spitting water on them. The little park where the statue
stands is surrounded by some of the finest museums of Mons: the Museum of
Ceramics, the War Museum, and the Numismatic Museum..
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