城(cheng)(cheng)墻上(shang)有炮臺12座、城(cheng)(cheng)樓4座,城(cheng)(cheng)下有甕城(cheng)(cheng)、護城(cheng)(cheng)河,城(cheng)(cheng)南北兩側(ce)分別(bie)指向蘭州和長城(cheng)(cheng)方向建有綿延數十(shi)里的(de)(de)烽(feng)火(huo)臺。如此(ci)完(wan)備的(de)(de)設計,堪(kan)稱中國古代軍事要塞(sai)教(jiao)科(ke)書式的(de)(de)典(dian)范之(zhi)作(zuo)。
古(gu)城(cheng)(cheng)由(you)于鳥瞰形(xing)如金龜(gui),故(gu)又稱“永泰(tai)龜(gui)城(cheng)(cheng)”。古(gu)城(cheng)(cheng)城(cheng)(cheng)圍周(zhou)長1.7公里,高(gao)12米,炮臺(tai)12座,城(cheng)(cheng)樓4座,外形(xing)是(shi)(shi)一大圓,城(cheng)(cheng)周(zhou)有護(hu)城(cheng)(cheng)河。古(gu)城(cheng)(cheng)四面有4個(ge)甕城(cheng)(cheng),形(xing)似龜(gui)的肩足(zu),保存(cun)尚好,只是(shi)(shi)甕城(cheng)(cheng)上的建筑已(yi)不存(cun)在(zai)了。
永(yong)泰(tai)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻由黃土夯筑而(er)成(cheng),周(zhou)長(chang)1717米,墻高12米,城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)基厚6米,占(zhan)地面積(ji)318畝(mu)。整個城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)平面呈橢圓形(xing)(xing),城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)門(men)向南開,外(wai)筑甬門(men),外(wai)門(men)叫“永(yong)寧門(men)”,內(nei)門(men)叫“永(yong)泰(tai)門(men)”,門(men)稍偏西,形(xing)(xing)似龜頭。四面筑有甕城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng),形(xing)(xing)似龜爪。城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)北有5座(zuo)烽火臺漸次遠去,形(xing)(xing)似龜尾。城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)周(zhou)有護城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)河,寬約(yue)6米,深約(yue)1至(zhi)2.5米。整個城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)池形(xing)(xing)狀酷似烏龜,故名(ming)“龜城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)”。
城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)內(nei)有(you)(you)軍(jun)(jun)事(shi)(shi)機構,察院一(yi)(yi)條街,城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)內(nei)邊修(xiu)有(you)(you)馬道,圍(wei)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)一(yi)(yi)周,城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)上(shang)有(you)(you)射擊垛口,在4個甕城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)上(shang)建(jian)(jian)有(you)(you)瞭望哨。城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)南有(you)(you)太極圓池(chi)(汲海、澇池(chi));南面曾建(jian)(jian)有(you)(you)李(li)汶將軍(jun)(jun)的(de)(de)公(gong)館(guan)。城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)南一(yi)(yi)里(li)處建(jian)(jian)有(you)(you)演武廳和(he)教場(chang),占(zhan)地(di)300畝。教場(chang)之(zhi)南還留有(you)(you)一(yi)(yi)條長約6里(li)的(de)(de)“龍沙”(山丘),“龍沙”之(zhi)上(shang)架(jia)有(you)(you)炮臺。城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)西北7里(li)處設(she)有(you)(you)軍(jun)(jun)需(xu)草料儲存(cun)處,城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)東(dong)南15里(li)的(de)(de)騸馬溝是當時(shi)的(de)(de)牧馬場(chang)地(di)。目前(qian)這些軍(jun)(jun)事(shi)(shi)設(she)施(shi)痕跡尚存(cun),除了居(ju)民(min)(min)為通行方(fang)便和(he)取土造房而拆(chai)落的(de)(de)部分城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang),還完整地(di)保存(cun)著(zhu)(zhu)大部分城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)、城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)門,城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)內(nei)還保留著(zhu)(zhu)兩座清代民(min)(min)居(ju),以及一(yi)(yi)所(suo)建(jian)(jian)于(yu)民(min)(min)國時(shi)期(qi)的(de)(de)小(xiao)學。
明萬歷二十六年(1598年),將軍李汶奉旨率軍討伐韃靼部落(luo)賓兔(tu)和阿赤兔(tu)等首領,雙方(fang)在龍沙(sha)展開了(le)一場(chang)數十日的(de)大戰之后,李汶擊敗了(le)韃靼部落(luo)群首領,收(shou)復(fu)了(le)大小(xiao)松(song)山(shan),但這場(chang)大戰也摧毀了(le)這里原來的(de)要塞(sai)。
此后,晉升為(wei)三邊總督的(de)(de)李(li)汶上奏朝廷,要(yao)求(qiu)在永(yong)泰(tai)川修筑永(yong)泰(tai)城。彼(bi)時,春色不絕于(yu)四季的(de)(de)永(yong)泰(tai),第(di)一(yi)次成(cheng)為(wei)通往(wang)青海、河套、新疆和西藏的(de)(de)咽喉之地,開始具有了政治、軍(jun)事、外交(jiao)、商業發展的(de)(de)多(duo)重(zhong)要(yao)義。
南(nan)依老虎山,東(dong)北接(jie)永泰川(chuan),西(xi)臨大砂河的永泰古城,雖然一度為河西(xi)走廊(lang)東(dong)端門戶(hu),但最近幾十年(nian),已經(jing)瀕臨滅(mie)頂(ding)之災(zai)。
1953國家開始(shi)大規模搞建設,后來(lai)又是破四舊立四新。到了(le)1958年,全國開始(shi)大煉鋼鐵(tie),永泰城里100多(duo)棵大樹被盡數砍伐,城里明清時期(qi)的廟宇高樓,也被一拆(chai)而空……
從景泰(tai)(tai)縣城(cheng)出發(fa),乘車大約45分鐘后(hou),依稀可(ke)見(jian)永(yong)(yong)泰(tai)(tai)城(cheng)墻(qiang)。沿途(tu)是茫茫的永(yong)(yong)泰(tai)(tai)川。盡管已(yi)經到(dao)了3月底,枯黃的土(tu)地上卻沒有一(yi)點生機,一(yi)陣大風過后(hou),黃土(tu)卷起的煙塵彌漫(man)在田野里。
“先有老虎城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)、永(yong)泰(tai)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)和(he)紅水縣,后來才有景泰(tai)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)。”景泰(tai)是歷史上的(de)(de)邊防重(zhong)地,境(jing)內的(de)(de)古長(chang)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)、古城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)池等遺(yi)跡很多(duo)。
說是古城(cheng),其實(shi)就是一(yi)個(ge)自然村。
沿途依稀可見(jian)一些(xie)土墩臺(tai)(tai),據(ju)說這(zhe)(zhe)樣的土墩每(mei)隔幾十米就有(you)一個,沿途共有(you)七(qi)十二(er)個,一直通向甘肅省城蘭州。閆致(zhi)祥說,這(zhe)(zhe)是(shi)明清(qing)時期用于(yu)防范的信息(xi)臺(tai)(tai)(當(dang)地人(ren)稱為烽火臺(tai)(tai)),如果發現有(you)敵入侵,便從永泰(tai)城的第一個烽火臺(tai)(tai)點火,依次傳遞,很快(kuai)就將(jiang)信號傳入蘭州。
“在永泰城東南部(bu)有(you)一塊(kuai)占(zhan)地面積為500畝地的平地,這(zhe)里就是當年的練兵(bing)場。操場中間(jian)建(jian)(jian)有(you)高(gao)兩米的平臺(tai)(tai)(現已拆毀),臺(tai)(tai)上建(jian)(jian)有(you)三間(jian)坐北朝南的閱兵(bing)臺(tai)(tai),紅漆(qi)明柱,雕梁畫棟。”這(zhe)些古建(jian)(jian)筑后來全部(bu)都(dou)拆除了。今(jin)天,在離(li)練兵(bing)場前約400米處,可以看到寬17米、高(gao)8米的射箭(jian)靶墻,墻上隱約可見箭(jian)簇留下的疤痕。
如今,由于連年干(gan)旱(han),生(sheng)活在(zai)城里的居民為了謀求生(sheng)計,都已經陸續搬遷(qian)離(li)去,解放(fang)初期的1000戶(hu)人(ren)家,已衰減為87戶(hu)。往日“酒肆商行,旗幌(huang)昭然(ran);茶亭飯館(guan),四時飄香”的繁(fan)華不復存在(zai)……