Yongtai Fortress Explained

Native Name:	永泰古城
Native Language:	zh
Type:	Fortress
Coordinates:	37.1356°N 103.8466°W
Location:	Jingtai County, Baiyin City, Gansu
Built:	1608

Yongtai Fortress is a village and historical fortress town in Sitan Township, Jingtai County, Baiyin City, Gansu, China.^{[1] [2] [3]} Built in 1608 by the Ming dynasty rulers to defend against attacks from northern minorities, it stationed 2000 infantrymen and 500 cavalry units.^[4] The entire fort is enclosed by a rammed earth wall including defensive towers. Due to desertification, the village is now mostly abandoned, dropping from 1500 people in the 1950s, to around 100 today.^{[5] [6] [7]}

Notes and References

1. Web site: Turtle-shaped Yongtai ancient city in NW China's Gansu . www.ecns.cn . . China . 2019-10-06.
2. Web site: A Slow Odyssey: The Great Wall of China . Radio Times . . United Kingdom . 2019-10-06.
3. Web site: Yongtai village, 400-year-old 'turtle city'[2]- Chinadaily.com.cn ]. www.chinadaily.com.cn . . China . 2019-10-06.
4. Web site: 永泰古城：军事要塞的样板城_科学探索_科技时代_新浪网. tech.sina.com.cn.
5. Web site: 甘肃永泰古城因生态恶化人口锐减变枯城(图)_新闻_腾讯网. news.qq.com.
6. Web site: 永泰古城 | 放完羊，看星星，被大西北戈壁上的这座龟城感动到了！_旅游_央视网(cctv.com). travel.cctv.com.
7. Web site: 甘肃景泰县：永泰古城最大修复项目完成-新华网. https://web.archive.org/web/20191006120851/http://www.xinhuanet.com//local/2017-12/15/c_1122117984.htm. dead. October 6, 2019. www.xinhuanet.com.