Brief Description:  Forged in 1449 in Mons, Belgium, Mons Meg is an enormous 15th-century medieval bombard. Weighing 6.6 tonnes and stretching 15 feet long, the weapon fired massive 20-inch stone balls weighing up to 386 lbs (175 kg) over distances of up to 2 miles.

Construction and Design:

Mons Meg features an innovative, early "hoop-and-stave" construction characteristic of heavy medieval artillery.

The Barrel: Composed of 25 longitudinal wrought-iron staves, the barrel is bound by 33 heated iron hoops that were shrunk tightly over the staves as they cooled. This allowed the gun to withstand intense black powder pressure.

The Chamber: The weapon was breech-loading; its powder chamber was a separate, smaller forged iron billet that was fitted tightly into the rear of the barrel.

Caliber: It boasts a massive internal diameter of 20 inches (51 cm), making it one of the largest-caliber cannons ever constructed.

Due to its immense 6-tonne weight, the weapon was incredibly difficult to move. A specialized team of oxen was required to transport it, moving at a painstakingly slow rate of just 3 miles per day. Because of this, Mons Meg transitioned from a terrifying siege engine to primarily serving ceremonial roles.