Dulle Griet: Mad Meg Cannon
Dulle Griet: Mad Meg Cannon features on the Gingerguide audio walk through Ghent. Give it roughly ~15 min: enough to look, hear a two to three minute story on the spot, and ask the AI guide whatever the story leaves open.
- Type monument
- Suggested visit ~15 min
- Ghent Ghent guide
About Dulle Griet: Mad Meg Cannon
A 5-metre-long medieval siege cannon weighing 16,400 kg, one of the largest medieval guns ever made, 'Mad Meg' has sat in Ghent since the 15th century.
Dulle Griet, 'Mad Meg' in English, named after a legendary female figure in Flemish folklore, is one of the largest medieval bombards ever made. Forged from wrought iron around 1430, this extraordinary weapon is five metres long, has a bore diameter of 64 centimetres, and weighs an astonishing 16,400 kilograms. It sits in the Vrijdagmarkt square where it has stood for centuries as one of Ghent's most unusual and beloved landmarks.
The cannon was designed to hurl enormous stone balls at castle walls, but its sheer size and weight made it so difficult to move and operate that it was reportedly fired only twice in its history, both times with problematic results. The name 'Dulle Griet', derived from a figure in Flemish popular imagery, a fierce woman who descends into hell to steal a cooking pot, captures something of the weapon's fearsome and somewhat impractical character. Today it functions as an outdoor monument and a favourite backdrop for photographs.
Did you know? Dulle Griet reportedly fired only twice in its entire history, both times with such problematic results that no third attempt was ever made.
How long is a visit to Dulle Griet: Mad Meg Cannon?
Set aside roughly ~15 min for Dulle Griet: Mad Meg Cannon. That covers a good look and the narrated story, and because you set the pace you can always stay on.
Is Dulle Griet: Mad Meg Cannon worth your time?
Dulle Griet: Mad Meg Cannon is among the 22 narrated highlights the Gingerguide team chose for Ghent, so it is worth a look. Hear the story for the context, then ask the AI guide for anything more.
Nearby stops in Ghent
Hear the story of Dulle Griet: Mad Meg Cannon
Preview the Ghent tour free in the Gingerguide app.