Mons Meg, Medieval bombard at Edinburgh Castle, Scotland
Mons Meg is a medieval bombard cannon at Edinburgh Castle with a barrel diameter of about 20 inches (51 centimeters) and a length of 280 centimeters. The weapon weighs about 6.6 tons and consists of 25 assembled iron staves held together by iron hoops.
The weapon was built in 1449 under orders from Philip the Good and arrived in 1454 as a gift to King James II of Scotland. It became one of the most famous cannons in Scottish military history over the following centuries.
The name comes from the Belgian town of Mons, where initial firing tests took place before delivery to the Scottish royal artillery collection. It symbolized power and prestige for the Scottish kings who held it.
The cannon stands outdoors near St Margaret's Chapel, easy to locate with basic orientation inside the castle. It is visible at all times and requires no special conditions for viewing.
The cannon could fire stone projectiles weighing about 175 kilograms, and a single shot required days of preparation and calculation. Its firepower was so remarkable that it remained one of Scotland's most feared weapons for a long time.
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