The gunners group Kurfürstlich-Sächsische Kanoniere Augusts des Starken, a section of Schützenverein Friedersdorf e.V., fire the museums' own historical cannon „Starke Auguste“.
The historic muzzle-loading cannon is 300 years old and is located on the George' Bastion on the west side of Königstein Fortress. It is a 24-pounder half-cartridge with a barrel made of cannon bronze.
- Barrel length: 328 cm
- Barrel weight: 3215 kg
- Caliber (inner barrel diameter): 150 mm
This cannon was capable of firing balls weighing up to 24 pounds.
This barrel belonged to a series of 21 cannons originally cast between 1712 and 1717 by Michael Wittwerck in Danzig, commissioned by Augustus the Strong. It is mounted on a Saxon fortress gun carriage, reconstructed according to an original historical model. The paintwork also corresponds to historical examples: the iron parts are painted with yellow red lead and the wooden parts with black tar paint.
On April 26, 2023, the historic cannon barrel was tested (fired) by the Beschussamt Suhl (proofhouse).
Since then, the Königstein Fortress Museum has got its own cannon capable of firing salutes and can demonstrate historical weaponry live to visitors.
