麟州(zhou)城始建于(yu)唐代開元十(shi)二(er)年(nian)(公(gong)元724),廢(fei)棄于(yu)明(ming)代正統八年(nian)(公(gong)元1443),歷時719年(nian)。五代麟州(zhou)刺史楊(yang)(yang)宏信(xin)及其長(chang)子楊(yang)(yang)重(zhong)勛和(he)其孫楊(yang)(yang)光,世代守衛(wei)著(zhu)麟州(zhou),抵御契(qi)丹(dan)(dan)、西夏守衛(wei)國(guo)土。而(er)楊(yang)(yang)宏信(xin)的(de)(de)次子楊(yang)(yang)業(ye)和(he)其孫楊(yang)(yang)延昭(zhao)均為宋代名將,在(zai)山西朔州(zhou)北距契(qi)丹(dan)(dan),稱(cheng)雄(xiong)(xiong)一方。由(you)于(yu)麟州(zhou)故城與楊(yang)(yang)家(jia)將的(de)(de)淵源關系,后代人們懷著(zhu)對(dui)楊(yang)(yang)氏英雄(xiong)(xiong)的(de)(de)崇敬心情,將此城稱(cheng)為楊(yang)(yang)家(jia)城,延續(xu)至今。
2005年榆(yu)林市考古所在西(xi)城西(xi)關還(huan)發掘了一處(chu)遺址,被稱為刺史府。
2009年7月到10月,陜西省考(kao)古(gu)研(yan)究院與榆林市考(kao)古(gu)隊對(dui)麟(lin)州故城遺(yi)址進(jin)行了考(kao)古(gu)調(diao)查(cha)、勘探(tan)與測繪。
麟(lin)州(zhou)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)址(zhi)北鄰草地溝(gou),西(xi)鄰窟野河,東接桃峁(mao)梁(liang),南與麻(ma)堰溝(gou)接壤,高(gao)差約200米。城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)址(zhi)呈不(bu)規則長條(tiao)形。整(zheng)個(ge)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)址(zhi)由3座小(xiao)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)組(zu)成,分別為(wei)東城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)、西(xi)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)和紫(zi)錦(jin)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)。從考古人員(yuan)航拍圖中(zhong)可以看到,三(san)座城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)中(zhong),紫(zi)錦(jin)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)位于西(xi)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)和東城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)的(de)中(zhong)間,由東城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)和西(xi)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)護(hu)衛著,而(er)東城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)和西(xi)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)要么臨溝(gou)壑,要么靠山城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻護(hu)衛,倚仗高(gao)山、溝(gou)壑這些天然屏障,麟(lin)州(zhou)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)已(yi)經呈現易守難攻之(zhi)勢(shi)。
據陜西省考古研(yan)究院肖健一(yi)介紹,整個城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)址面(mian)積約為1.12平方公里,城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)周長約5.4公里。東(dong)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)、西城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)和紫錦(jin)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng),三個小城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)既相(xiang)(xiang)互聯系又(you)相(xiang)(xiang)對獨立。東(dong)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)有(you)(you)一(yi)門可以(yi)進(jin)入(ru),西城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)沒(mei)有(you)(you)門,雖然(ran)可以(yi)通(tong)過兩個門進(jin)入(ru)紫錦(jin)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng),然(ran)而想要(yao)不被守(shou)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)官兵發現很(hen)難(nan)(nan)。肖健一(yi)解釋說,以(yi)紫錦(jin)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)為例,如果想要(yao)從(cong)東(dong)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)南門進(jin)入(ru),門口的(de)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻設(she)有(you)(you)馬面(mian),馬面(mian)上的(de)守(shou)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)者(zhe)可清(qing)楚看(kan)到入(ru)侵(qin)者(zhe),即(ji)使進(jin)了城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng),甕(weng)(weng)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)形成甕(weng)(weng)中捉鱉之勢,相(xiang)(xiang)信入(ru)侵(qin)者(zhe)也難(nan)(nan)以(yi)再進(jin)入(ru)下一(yi)關,而此時也無法撤退出城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)。
三座小城(cheng)是(shi)互通的(de)(de)(de),如果(guo)有(you)(you)一座城(cheng)有(you)(you)入侵(qin)者進攻(gong),其他兩城(cheng)均可立即派(pai)兵前往支援。城(cheng)防(fang)(fang)工事中甕城(cheng)、城(cheng)墻(qiang)(qiang)、馬面(mian)、角(jiao)樓(lou)等均保留很(hen)(hen)好(hao),尤其是(shi)位于城(cheng)址(zhi)中部的(de)(de)(de)紫錦城(cheng),有(you)(you)一殘存20米保存非(fei)常好(hao)的(de)(de)(de)夯筑墻(qiang)(qiang)體(ti),墻(qiang)(qiang)體(ti)上(shang)部為麟(lin)州城(cheng)的(de)(de)(de)高(gao)點(dian),估計可能(neng)為曾(ceng)被(bei)很(hen)(hen)多名人詩句提到的(de)(de)(de)紅樓(lou)遺址(zhi)。考(kao)古(gu)調查(cha)中發現,東城(cheng)中有(you)(you)大量(liang)且(qie)密集的(de)(de)(de)建筑遺址(zhi),估計可能(neng)多為老百姓居住(zhu)。西(xi)城(cheng)同(tong)樣(yang)發現有(you)(you)建筑遺址(zhi),地面(mian)由(you)磚鋪而成,估計當時(shi)的(de)(de)(de)刺史(shi)府應該在此,而且(qie)西(xi)城(cheng)可能(neng)還有(you)(you)更(geng)高(gao)的(de)(de)(de)軍事防(fang)(fang)御機關,但此次調查(cha)未能(neng)發現。
此次除對(dui)麟(lin)州(zhou)故(gu)(gu)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)本身進行(xing)了調(diao)查(cha)外,還對(dui)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)址(zhi)背面(mian)(mian)殘存的(de)墩臺(tai)(tai)及(ji)東面(mian)(mian)、南面(mian)(mian)的(de)營(ying)堡進行(xing)了調(diao)查(cha),采集到了132件(jian)文(wen)(wen)物(wu)標本,發現(xian)各類遺(yi)跡現(xian)象(xiang)95處(chu),其中門址(zhi)10處(chu)、墩臺(tai)(tai)2處(chu)、馬面(mian)(mian)5處(chu)、角樓3處(chu)、夯土基(ji)(ji)址(zhi)2處(chu)等。在調(diao)查(cha)勘(kan)探的(de)基(ji)(ji)礎上,對(dui)麟(lin)州(zhou)故(gu)(gu)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)遺(yi)址(zhi)周(zhou)邊(bian)約(yue)10平(ping)方(fang)公里的(de)區域(yu)進行(xing)了航空(kong)遙感調(diao)查(cha),制(zhi)作了航空(kong)遙感影(ying)像圖,建立了數字(zi)高程模型,為(wei)制(zhi)定(ding)麟(lin)州(zhou)故(gu)(gu)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)文(wen)(wen)物(wu)保護規(gui)劃及(ji)有效保護這一(yi)珍貴歷史文(wen)(wen)化遺(yi)存提供了科學、詳實的(de)資料和依據。同樣因(yin)為(wei)此次的(de)調(diao)查(cha),揭秘了麟(lin)州(zhou)故(gu)(gu)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)嚴密的(de)防御體系。
2006年5月國務院公(gong)布為第六批全國重點文物保(bao)護單位。