平(ping)遙古城(cheng)山西省晉(jin)中(zhong)市(shi)平(ping)遙縣(xian)境(jing)(jing)內(nei)，是中(zhong)國境(jing)(jing)內(nei)保存最為完整的(de)一座古代(dai)縣(xian)城(cheng)，為世界文化遺產和(he)全國重點文物保護單位。

 平遙古城處在(zai)山(shan)西(xi)省的(de)(de)(de)中(zhong)(zhong)部，始(shi)建(jian)于(yu)西(xi)周宣(xuan)王(wang)時期(qi)(qi)(公元(yuan)(yuan)前827年(nian)～公元(yuan)(yuan)前782年(nian))，明代(dai)(dai)洪武(wu)三年(nian)(公元(yuan)(yuan)1370年(nian))擴建(jian)，距今已(yi)有2700多年(nian)的(de)(de)(de)歷史。平遙曾(ceng)是(shi)清代(dai)(dai)晚期(qi)(qi)中(zhong)(zhong)國(guo)的(de)(de)(de)金融中(zhong)(zhong)心(xin)，春秋(qiu)時屬晉國(guo)，戰國(guo)屬趙國(guo)。秦置平陶縣(xian)(xian)，漢置中(zhong)(zhong)都(dou)縣(xian)(xian)，為(wei)宗親代(dai)(dai)王(wang)的(de)(de)(de)都(dou)城。北魏改(gai)名(ming)為(wei)平遙縣(xian)(xian)。清代(dai)(dai)晚期(qi)(qi)，總部設在(zai)平遙的(de)(de)(de)票號(hao)就有二十(shi)多家，占全國(guo)的(de)(de)(de)一半以上，更被稱“古代(dai)(dai)中(zhong)(zhong)國(guo)華爾街”。其中(zhong)(zhong)規(gui)模(mo)最大的(de)(de)(de)是(shi)創建(jian)于(yu)清道光(guang)年(nian)間、以“匯通天下”而聞名(ming)于(yu)世的(de)(de)(de)中(zhong)(zhong)國(guo)第一座(zuo)票號(hao)“日(ri)升昌(chang)”。

 平遙古(gu)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)目前(qian)基本保(bao)存了明清時(shi)期的(de)(de)(de)縣(xian)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)原型，有(you)“龜(gui)(gui)”城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)之稱。城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)池(chi)南(nan)門(men)為龜(gui)(gui)頭，門(men)外兩眼水(shui)井象(xiang)征(zheng)(zheng)龜(gui)(gui)的(de)(de)(de)雙目。北(bei)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)門(men)為龜(gui)(gui)尾，是(shi)全城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)的(de)(de)(de)最低處(chu)，城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)內所有(you)積水(shui)都要經此流出(chu)。城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)池(chi)東西四(si)座甕(weng)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)，雙雙相對(dui)，上(shang)西門(men)、下(xia)西門(men)、上(shang)東門(men)的(de)(de)(de)甕(weng)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)門(men)均向南(nan)開(kai)，形似(si)龜(gui)(gui)爪前(qian)伸，唯下(xia)東門(men)甕(weng)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)的(de)(de)(de)外城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)門(men)徑直向東開(kai)，據說是(shi)造城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)時(shi)恐怕烏(wu)龜(gui)(gui)爬走，將(jiang)其(qi)左腿(tui)拉(la)直，拴在距城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)二十(shi)里的(de)(de)(de)麓臺上(shang)。這個看(kan)似(si)虛妄(wang)的(de)(de)(de)傳說，閃射出(chu)古(gu)人對(dui)烏(wu)龜(gui)(gui)的(de)(de)(de)極其(qi)崇拜之情。烏(wu)龜(gui)(gui)乃長生之物，在古(gu)人心目中自(zi)然如同(tong)神(shen)靈一樣圣潔。它凝示著希冀借龜(gui)(gui)神(shen)之力，使平遙古(gu)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)堅(jian)如磐石(shi)，金湯永固，安然無恙，永世長存的(de)(de)(de)深刻含(han)義(yi)。城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)上(shang)還有(you)72個觀敵樓，墻(qiang)頂外側有(you)垛口3千個，傳說它是(shi)孔子(zi)3千弟子(zi)、72賢人的(de)(de)(de)象(xiang)征(zheng)(zheng)。

 城內(nei)街(jie)道格局為(wei)“土”字形(xing)，建筑布局則遵(zun)從八卦(gua)的(de)方位，體(ti)現了明(ming)(ming)清(qing)時的(de)城市規劃(hua)理念(nian)和形(xing)制分(fen)布。城內(nei)外有(you)(you)(you)各類遺址(zhi)、古建筑300多處，有(you)(you)(you)保存完整(zheng)的(de)明(ming)(ming)清(qing)民(min)宅(zhai)近4000座，街(jie)道商鋪都(dou)體(ti)現歷史(shi)原貌，被(bei)稱(cheng)作研究中(zhong)(zhong)國(guo)古代(dai)城市的(de)活樣本。有(you)(you)(you)始建于北齊武平二(er)年(nian)(571年(nian))、被(bei)譽為(wei)“中(zhong)(zhong)國(guo)古代(dai)彩塑藝術寶(bao)庫”，現存宋元明(ming)(ming)清(qing)彩塑2052尊的(de)雙林(lin)寺；有(you)(you)(you)中(zhong)(zhong)國(guo)宋金時期文廟(miao)的(de)罕見實物——文廟(miao)大成殿；有(you)(you)(you)中(zhong)(zhong)國(guo)金融上的(de)開山鼻祖，被(bei)譽為(wei)“天下第一號”、“匯通天下”的(de)“日升(sheng)昌”票號；有(you)(you)(you)始建于唐(tang)顯慶二(er)年(nian)，國(guo)內(nei)古建筑中(zhong)(zhong)罕見的(de)“懸梁吊(diao)柱”奇特結(jie)構清(qing)虛觀(guan)。

 平遙古城(cheng)(cheng)是中國(guo)(guo)古代民居(ju)(ju)建筑的(de)薈萃中心之一，也是中國(guo)(guo)古代城(cheng)(cheng)市的(de)原型，有中國(guo)(guo)目(mu)前保(bao)存最完整的(de)古代縣城(cheng)(cheng)格局。平遙古城(cheng)(cheng)1997年12月被列入《世(shi)界(jie)遺產名錄》。城(cheng)(cheng)內(nei)街道、古建衙門、市樓、商店、民居(ju)(ju)等還(huan)保(bao)留原有的(de)明代形制，大量被列為全國(guo)(guo)重點(dian)文物保(bao)護(hu)單位。