Dulle Griet

A 15th-century siege cannon named for the Flemish folklore figure of Mad Meg

Address Grootkanonplein, 9000 Ghent

Dulle Griet ("Mad Meg") is a large medieval wrought-iron cannon, dating from around 1430, sitting on display at the Grootkanonplein near the Vrijdagmarkt. At nearly 5 metres long and weighing over 12 tonnes, it is one of the largest medieval bombards in existence. It was used to hurl heavy stone balls over city walls — a weapon of siege, not of battle.

The name comes from the Flemish folklore figure Dull Gret, a fearsome woman who storms hell to steal from the devil. The cannon's sheer bulk, weathered and ancient, makes it one of the more striking street objects in Ghent. It sits unguarded and accessible, which is somehow very Flemish.

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A story
Dulle Griet was captured by Ghent troops from Oudenaarde in 1452 during a military campaign and dragged back to the city. For centuries it sat in the Vrijdagmarkt as a trophy. It was briefly taken to Brussels as a war trophy by the French, returned by Napoleon, and then moved to its current location by the canal. The tradition of taking other cities' siege weapons as trophies was apparently common enough to require a dedicated square.

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