永(yong)通(tong)(tong)(tong)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)是(shi)通(tong)(tong)(tong)惠(hui)河(he)上(shang)的(de)重(zhong)要(yao)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)梁,史稱(cheng)它(ta)是(shi)“陸運京儲之(zhi)通(tong)(tong)(tong)道”。永(yong)通(tong)(tong)(tong)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)是(shi)北京四大(da)(da)名橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)之(zhi)一(yi)。坐落在古老(lao)(lao)的(de)通(tong)(tong)(tong)惠(hui)河(he)上(shang),因(yin)距(ju)通(tong)(tong)(tong)縣城西八(ba)(ba)里(li),故俗稱(cheng)“八(ba)(ba)里(li)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)”或“八(ba)(ba)里(li)莊橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)”,而其(qi)原名卻鮮(xian)為人(ren)知了(le)。河(he)北趙縣也有橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)名永(yong)通(tong)(tong)(tong)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)。永(yong)通(tong)(tong)(tong)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)正(zheng)是(shi)在這(zhe)樣(yang)一(yi)條十分重(zhong)要(yao)和(he)著名的(de)漕河(he)上(shang)建(jian)(jian)造的(de)一(yi)座大(da)(da)型(xing)石拱橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)。史稱(cheng)它(ta)是(shi)“陸運京儲之(zhi)通(tong)(tong)(tong)道”。石橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)的(de)前身(shen)是(shi)座木(mu)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao),因(yin)通(tong)(tong)(tong)惠(hui)河(he)坡度較大(da)(da)、河(he)水湍急。常(chang)將這(zhe)里(li)原建(jian)(jian)的(de)木(mu)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)沖毀,影響交(jiao)通(tong)(tong)(tong),因(yin)此(ci)(ci)有內(nei)宮太監(jian)李德奏于明英(ying)宗(zong)(zong),建(jian)(jian)議(yi)于此(ci)(ci)地建(jian)(jian)石橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao),英(ying)宗(zong)(zong)準奏,正(zheng)統十一(yi)年十二(er)月(yue)石橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)竣工,英(ying)宗(zong)(zong)賜(si)名“永(yong)通(tong)(tong)(tong)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)”。石橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)的(de)建(jian)(jian)成,不僅解決(jue)了(le)交(jiao)通(tong)(tong)(tong),控(kong)制了(le)洪水,還為古老(lao)(lao)的(de)通(tong)(tong)(tong)惠(hui)河(he)增加了(le)一(yi)個美麗(li)壯觀的(de)景(jing)點(dian)。所謂(wei)“長橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)映月(yue)”正(zheng)是(shi)通(tong)(tong)(tong)州八(ba)(ba)景(jing)之(zhi)一(yi)。
八(ba)里橋的(de)(de)(de)造型(xing)極為(wei)(wei)特(te)(te)殊。中孔特(te)(te)高,高達八(ba)點五米,寬六點七米,兩次(ci)孔僅高三點五米,相差懸殊。這種(zhong)構造是專為(wei)(wei)漕(cao)運的(de)(de)(de)需要設計的(de)(de)(de)。通惠(hui)河運糧船(chuan)(chuan)多(duo)為(wei)(wei)帆(fan)船(chuan)(chuan),如建造普(pu)通形式(shi)拱橋,勢(shi)必阻礙漕(cao)船(chuan)(chuan)的(de)(de)(de)航行,為(wei)(wei)此古代工匠將橋的(de)(de)(de)中孔建造得(de)相當高聳,漕(cao)船(chuan)(chuan)可直(zhi)出直(zhi)入,圓滿地解決了(le)這一難題(ti)。所謂“八(ba)里橋不(bu)落桅”正(zheng)是指此。
八(ba)里橋地處交通(tong)要沖,戰略上(shang)是兵(bing)家必爭之地。歷(li)史上(shang)這里曾進行過兩次大規模的(de)(de)中(zhong)外戰爭。第一次為咸(xian)豐十(shi)年(nian)(1860),中(zhong)國官軍與英法侵略軍交戰。第二次為光緒二十(shi)六年(nian)(1900),義(yi)和團與八(ba)國聯軍在此展(zhan)開了激烈戰斗。永通(tong)橋不(bu)僅具有十(shi)分珍貴(gui)的(de)(de)歷(li)史、科學和藝術價值,而且還(huan)是近代史上(shang)的(de)(de)重要紀念建筑。
通(tong)(tong)惠(hui)河(he)是(shi)元(yuan)至(zhi)元(yuan)二十(shi)七(1290)春由都水(shui)監郭守敬主持(chi)開(kai)鑿的一(yi)條重要人(ren)工河(he)道(dao)。此(ci)河(he)“上自昌平(ping)白浮(fu)村引神山泉(quan),西折南(nan)轉,過雙塔榆河(he)、一(yi)畝、玉泉(quan)清水(shui),至(zhi)西水(shui)門入都城,南(nan)匯為(wei)積水(shui)潭(tan),東南(nan)出文明門,東至(zhi)通(tong)(tong)州(zhou)高麗(li)莊(zhuang)入白河(he)。總長(chang)一(yi)百(bai)六(liu)(liu)十(shi)四里一(yi)百(bai)四步”。北京地處北方,物資較為(wei)貧乏,眾多物資多從南(nan)方運來,特別是(shi)元(yuan)定都北京后,這種情況更為(wei)突出。雖開(kai)辟了(le)海(hai)運、但損耗過大,如至(zhi)元(yuan)二十(shi)年(1283)歲運四萬(wan)(wan)六(liu)(liu)千多石糧,漂溺(ni)損耗者至(zhi)四萬(wan)(wan)二千多石,而且糧食運到通(tong)(tong)州(zhou)后,再(zai)通(tong)(tong)過陸路運送到北京城,糧多路遠(yuan),運糧兵民(min)苦不堪言,至(zhi)元(yuan)三(san)十(shi)年(1293)通(tong)(tong)惠(hui)河(he)工竣,“自是(shi)免都民(min)陸挽之(zhi)勞,公(gong)私便之(zhi),帝自上都還,過積水(shui)潭(tan),見舳艫蔽水(shui),大悅,賜(si)名(ming)通(tong)(tong)惠(hui)。”及至(zhi)明朝,通(tong)(tong)惠(hui)漕(cao)(cao)運干道(dao),東南(nan)之(zhi)粟,年漕(cao)(cao)已到數百(bai)萬(wan)(wan)石。東南(nan)貢賦,歲億(yi)萬(wan)(wan)計,市民(min)所需,則不可悉數,概由此(ci)河(he)運京。