百花洲公園位于胥門古城河畔,占地4萬平方米,夜晚景色尤美,可船游古城河美景。每年元宵,這里都會舉辦燈會,熱鬧非常。百花洲公園(yuan)(yuan)位于蘇(su)州胥門古(gu)城(cheng)河畔,占(zhan)地(di)4公頃,利用萬年橋(qiao)到新(xin)市(shi)(shi)橋(qiao)沿運(yun)河段有(you)一(yi)段古(gu)城(cheng)墻,與運(yun)河結合創(chuang)建了一(yi)座開(kai)放式的城(cheng)市(shi)(shi)公園(yuan)(yuan)。園(yuan)(yuan)內景(jing)(jing)色(se)(se)(se)優美(mei),是(shi)個休(xiu)閑散(san)步的好地(di)方。公園(yuan)(yuan)夜(ye)(ye)景(jing)(jing)是(shi)一(yi)大特(te)色(se)(se)(se),夜(ye)(ye)晚(wan)景(jing)(jing)色(se)(se)(se)尤(you)美(mei),可船游古(gu)城(cheng)河美(mei)景(jing)(jing)。每年元(yuan)宵(xiao)節(jie)還(huan)有(you)燈會,屆時(shi)可以(yi)猜燈謎、表演,還(huan)有(you)美(mei)食小吃等(deng)。公園(yuan)(yuan)主要景(jing)(jing)點(dian)有(you)城(cheng)樓、護城(cheng)河、拱橋(qiao)等(deng)。
胥門(men)(men),也稱(cheng)老胥門(men)(men),在(zai)萬年橋以南。戰國春申(shen)君測知太湖地(di)勢高過蘇州,為(wei)免城(cheng)內(nei)遭泛濫(lan)之災,就把胥門(men)(men)水道加以封閉(bi),此(ci)后(hou)胥門(men)(men)便無水門(men)(men)。胥門(men)(men)內(nei)城(cheng)在(zai)百(bai)花洲(zhou),甕(weng)城(cheng)為(wei)梯形,奇怪(guai)的(de)是胥門(men)(men)外城(cheng)門(men)(men)不是正面朝(chao)西,而(er)是朝(chao)南,想必古人(ren)大概是想避開兵火的(de)直接沖撞吧,這樣做似乎安(an)全些,但卻(que)給人(ren)進(jin)出帶來(lai)了很(hen)大不便。行人(ren)須經(jing)學士街(jie),由內(nei)城(cheng)門(men)(men)進(jin)甕(weng)城(cheng),朝(chao)南出外城(cheng)門(men)(men),再沿河北上走幾百(bai)步(bu),然后(hou)才(cai)能上萬年橋。而(er)今,蘇州政(zheng)府在(zai)胥門(men)(men)建成(cheng)了占地(di)4萬平(ping)方米的(de)百(bai)花洲(zhou)公園。
胥(xu)(xu)(xu)門(men)(men),又(you)稱“姑(gu)胥(xu)(xu)(xu)門(men)(men)”,因闔閭從(cong)此門(men)(men)而(er)出登(deng)臨姑(gu)蘇臺而(er)得名。最初也是水陸(lu)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)門(men)(men),到(dao)了(le)(le)(le)北宋(song)陸(lu)門(men)(men)被(bei)(bei)堙塞了(le)(le)(le),僅存水門(men)(men);金兵南(nan)(nan)下時,蘇州(zhou)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)被(bei)(bei)劫掠一空后(hou)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)也付之(zhi)一炬(ju),“凡地(di)面以(yi)上(shang)幾無(wu)一碑一刻之(zhi)遺(yi)”;不足百年(nian)(nian),南(nan)(nan)宋(song)又(you)把城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)重(zhong)建(jian)(jian)(jian)得比以(yi)前(qian)更(geng)加俊(jun)挺,只是胥(xu)(xu)(xu)門(men)(men)被(bei)(bei)取消了(le)(le)(le);元初平(ping)定江南(nan)(nan)后(hou),元兵的鐵騎嫌城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)礙事(shi)(shi),蘇州(zhou)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)又(you)遭拆(chai)毀;而(er)到(dao)了(le)(le)(le)元末,為(wei)了(le)(le)(le)防(fang)御反元義軍的進攻,再筑(zhu)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang),因在(zai)近旁的姑(gu)蘇驛下挖得刻有“胥(xu)(xu)(xu)門(men)(men)”二(er)字的石塊,于(yu)是恢復(fu)了(le)(le)(le)胥(xu)(xu)(xu)門(men)(men),但只建(jian)(jian)(jian)了(le)(le)(le)陸(lu)門(men)(men),未建(jian)(jian)(jian)水門(men)(men),以(yi)防(fang)太(tai)湖洪水入城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng);不久(jiu)張士誠占領了(le)(le)(le)蘇州(zhou)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng),加固了(le)(le)(le)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang),又(you)在(zai)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)門(men)(men)外增設了(le)(le)(le)甕(weng)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)。民國(guo)時籌建(jian)(jian)(jian)蘇州(zhou)市(shi),為(wei)方便交(jiao)通,除盤門(men)(men)外的所有甕(weng)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)又(you)都被(bei)(bei)拆(chai)除了(le)(le)(le)。 從(cong)戰國(guo)時伍子(zi)胥(xu)(xu)(xu)在(zai)胥(xu)(xu)(xu)門(men)(men)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)樓掛頭顱,“以(yi)觀越(yue)滅吳(wu)(wu)”,到(dao)北宋(song)王安(an)石感(gan)嘆“千家(jia)漁火(huo)秋(qiu)風(feng)事(shi)(shi),一葉歸舟暮(mu)雨灣”,再到(dao)明清時期“商賈(jia)云集(ji),五方雜處”,及至現在(zai)的城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)隱而(er)復(fu)現,并(bing)成為(wei)清悠的休(xiu)閑地(di),胥(xu)(xu)(xu)門(men)(men)滄桑(sang)就如同(tong)演了(le)(le)(le)一出黑色幽默劇。”北面是伍子(zi)胥(xu)(xu)(xu)的石雕。伍子(zi)胥(xu)(xu)(xu)雄才大略,深得吳(wu)(wu)王闔閭信(xin)任。吳(wu)(wu)王闔閭九年(nian)(nian),伍子(zi)胥(xu)(xu)(xu)幫助(zhu)吳(wu)(wu)王西破(po)強楚,北威齊(qi)晉,南(nan)(nan)服(fu)越(yue)人(ren),吳(wu)(wu)國(guo)國(guo)力達到(dao)了(le)(le)(le)鼎盛(sheng)之(zhi)勢。但因后(hou)主夫差聽(ting)信(xin)讒言(yan),于(yu)公元前(qian)484年(nian)(nian)秋(qiu)賜劍使(shi)伍子(zi)胥(xu)(xu)(xu)自刎,并(bing)將其尸(shi)放鴟夷革中,漂浮(fu)江上(shang)。