成武縣老城(cheng)(cheng)區有護(hu)城(cheng)(cheng)大堤,西起牛角尖,東至程堤口,南弦北弧,呈半月形,東西長,南北短,將縣城(cheng)(cheng)環抱其中(zhong)。據文物普查和專家考證(zheng),護(hu)城(cheng)(cheng)大堤始筑于戰國,后經秦、漢(han)至元(yuan)、明、清(qing)幾(ji)經加固和補修才(cai)得(de)以保(bao)存至今。
由(you)于(yu)成武(wu)較(jiao)早采用筑堤(di)護城(cheng)(cheng)防(fang)(fang)(fang)水(shui)的(de)辦(ban)法(fa),故而古(gu)城(cheng)(cheng)和整個(ge)護城(cheng)(cheng)堤(di)內淤積較(jiao)少,一(yi)堤(di)之隔,內外地(di)面落差竟達3米之多。15700米長的(de)護城(cheng)(cheng)堤(di)內形成了水(shui)波蕩漾的(de)萬畝城(cheng)(cheng)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)。縣城(cheng)(cheng)偏東(dong)而建,水(shui)包三面,呈(cheng)現“煙樓水(shui)半(ban)城(cheng)(cheng)”的(de)景象(xiang)。這樣由(you)護城(cheng)(cheng)堤(di)防(fang)(fang)(fang)水(shui)而形成如此之大的(de)盆地(di),又積水(shui)成湖(hu)(hu)(hu),城(cheng)(cheng)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)合一(yi),歷(li)(li)史(shi)(shi)悠久又保(bao)留至今的(de)城(cheng)(cheng)鎮湖(hu)(hu)(hu)泊,在我國是非常罕見的(de)。如果把湖(hu)(hu)(hu)區(qu)的(de)“文亭山(shan)”、“壽峰”等原(yuan)始先(xian)(xian)(xian)民的(de)避水(shui)居(ju)址、環(huan)城(cheng)(cheng)蜿蜓數十里(li)的(de)堤(di)防(fang)(fang)(fang)工程,城(cheng)(cheng)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)里(li)出土的(de)漢代(dai)陶井群(qun)及水(shui)利設施聯系(xi)起來看,它集中(zhong)反映了數千年(nian)來黃(huang)泛區(qu)先(xian)(xian)(xian)民由(you)筑臺避水(shui),到(dao)(dao)筑堤(di)治水(shui),發(fa)展到(dao)(dao)打井灌溉開發(fa)水(shui)利的(de)歷(li)(li)史(shi)(shi)狀況(kuang)和發(fa)展進程,它象(xiang)一(yi)部無(wu)字(zi)志書,記述(shu)著(zhu)成武(wu)歷(li)(li)代(dai)先(xian)(xian)(xian)民與自然作斗爭的(de)英雄業績(ji),可(ke)稱得上黃(huang)泛區(qu)古(gu)代(dai)水(shui)利發(fa)展史(shi)(shi)的(de)實物博物館。1992年(nian)整個(ge)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)區(qu)故城(cheng)(cheng)被列為(wei)山(shan)東(dong)省(sheng)重點文物保(bao)護單位。