永(yong)通(tong)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)是(shi)通(tong)惠(hui)(hui)河上的(de)(de)(de)重要橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)梁,史(shi)稱(cheng)它是(shi)“陸運(yun)京儲之通(tong)道”。永(yong)通(tong)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)是(shi)北京四大名橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)之一(yi)。坐落在(zai)(zai)古老的(de)(de)(de)通(tong)惠(hui)(hui)河上,因(yin)(yin)距通(tong)縣城西八(ba)里(li),故俗稱(cheng)“八(ba)里(li)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)”或“八(ba)里(li)莊橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)”,而其原名卻(que)鮮為人知了。河北趙縣也有橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)名永(yong)通(tong)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)。永(yong)通(tong)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)正是(shi)在(zai)(zai)這樣(yang)一(yi)條十分重要和著名的(de)(de)(de)漕(cao)河上建造(zao)的(de)(de)(de)一(yi)座(zuo)大型石(shi)拱(gong)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)。史(shi)稱(cheng)它是(shi)“陸運(yun)京儲之通(tong)道”。石(shi)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)的(de)(de)(de)前身是(shi)座(zuo)木橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao),因(yin)(yin)通(tong)惠(hui)(hui)河坡度較大、河水湍急。常將(jiang)這里(li)原建的(de)(de)(de)木橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)沖毀,影響(xiang)交通(tong),因(yin)(yin)此(ci)(ci)有內宮太(tai)監李德奏于(yu)明英宗,建議于(yu)此(ci)(ci)地(di)建石(shi)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao),英宗準奏,正統十一(yi)年十二月石(shi)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)竣(jun)工,英宗賜名“永(yong)通(tong)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)”。石(shi)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)的(de)(de)(de)建成,不僅解(jie)決了交通(tong),控(kong)制了洪水,還(huan)為古老的(de)(de)(de)通(tong)惠(hui)(hui)河增加(jia)了一(yi)個美麗(li)壯(zhuang)觀(guan)的(de)(de)(de)景(jing)點。所謂“長(chang)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)映月”正是(shi)通(tong)州八(ba)景(jing)之一(yi)。
八(ba)里(li)橋(qiao)(qiao)的(de)造型極為(wei)特殊。中孔特高,高達(da)八(ba)點五(wu)米,寬(kuan)六點七米,兩次孔僅高三點五(wu)米,相差(cha)懸殊。這種構造是專為(wei)漕(cao)運的(de)需要設(she)計(ji)的(de)。通惠河運糧船多(duo)為(wei)帆船,如建造普通形(xing)式(shi)拱(gong)橋(qiao)(qiao),勢必阻(zu)礙(ai)漕(cao)船的(de)航行,為(wei)此古代工匠將橋(qiao)(qiao)的(de)中孔建造得(de)相當(dang)高聳,漕(cao)船可直出直入(ru),圓滿地解決了(le)這一難題(ti)。所謂“八(ba)里(li)橋(qiao)(qiao)不落桅”正是指此。
八里橋(qiao)地處交(jiao)通(tong)要沖,戰略上是兵家必爭之地。歷史上這里曾(ceng)進行(xing)過兩次(ci)大(da)規模的(de)中(zhong)外戰爭。第(di)一次(ci)為(wei)咸豐(feng)十年(nian)(1860),中(zhong)國官軍與英(ying)法(fa)侵略軍交(jiao)戰。第(di)二(er)次(ci)為(wei)光緒二(er)十六年(nian)(1900),義和(he)團與八國聯軍在此展開了激(ji)烈戰斗。永(yong)通(tong)橋(qiao)不僅(jin)具有(you)十分珍貴(gui)的(de)歷史、科學和(he)藝(yi)術價值,而且還(huan)是近代史上的(de)重要紀念建(jian)筑(zhu)。
通(tong)(tong)惠河是(shi)(shi)元至(zhi)元二十(shi)七(1290)春由都(dou)水(shui)監(jian)郭(guo)守敬主持開鑿的一(yi)條重要人(ren)工河道。此(ci)河“上自昌平白(bai)浮(fu)村(cun)引神山泉,西(xi)折南轉,過(guo)雙塔榆河、一(yi)畝、玉泉清水(shui),至(zhi)西(xi)水(shui)門(men)入都(dou)城,南匯為(wei)積(ji)水(shui)潭,東(dong)南出(chu)文明門(men),東(dong)至(zhi)通(tong)(tong)州(zhou)高麗莊(zhuang)入白(bai)河。總長一(yi)百六十(shi)四(si)里一(yi)百四(si)步”。北(bei)京(jing)地處北(bei)方,物資較為(wei)貧乏,眾多物資多從南方運(yun)(yun)來,特別是(shi)(shi)元定都(dou)北(bei)京(jing)后(hou),這種情況更為(wei)突出(chu)。雖開辟了海運(yun)(yun)、但損耗(hao)過(guo)大(da),如至(zhi)元二十(shi)年(nian)(1283)歲運(yun)(yun)四(si)萬(wan)(wan)六千(qian)(qian)多石(shi)糧,漂溺(ni)損耗(hao)者至(zhi)四(si)萬(wan)(wan)二千(qian)(qian)多石(shi),而且糧食(shi)運(yun)(yun)到(dao)通(tong)(tong)州(zhou)后(hou),再通(tong)(tong)過(guo)陸(lu)路運(yun)(yun)送(song)到(dao)北(bei)京(jing)城,糧多路遠,運(yun)(yun)糧兵民(min)(min)苦不(bu)(bu)堪(kan)言,至(zhi)元三(san)十(shi)年(nian)(1293)通(tong)(tong)惠河工竣,“自是(shi)(shi)免都(dou)民(min)(min)陸(lu)挽(wan)之勞,公私便之,帝(di)自上都(dou)還,過(guo)積(ji)水(shui)潭,見舳艫蔽水(shui),大(da)悅,賜名通(tong)(tong)惠。”及(ji)至(zhi)明朝,通(tong)(tong)惠漕運(yun)(yun)干道,東(dong)南之粟(su),年(nian)漕已到(dao)數(shu)百萬(wan)(wan)石(shi)。東(dong)南貢(gong)賦,歲億(yi)萬(wan)(wan)計,市民(min)(min)所需,則不(bu)(bu)可悉數(shu),概由此(ci)河運(yun)(yun)京(jing)。