通(tong)(tong)(tong)濟(ji)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)在佛(fo)山有(you)(you)著悠(you)久的歷(li)史(shi)意(yi)義,是佛(fo)山較早興建(jian)的第(di)一座大木橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)。據專家(jia)考證,該橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)早期由鄉(xiang)民集資修建(jian)的木質人行橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)。通(tong)(tong)(tong)濟(ji)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)橫跨洛(luo)水河(he),北(bei)連(lian)金魚街,始建(jian)于明代,分別于嘉(jia)靖38年(nian)、隆慶2年(nian)、萬歷(li)9年(nian)三次(ci)重修。天啟六年(nian)戶部(bu)尚書李侍(shi)問(wen)再(zai)次(ci)發起募捐重修,取(qu)名(ming)“通(tong)(tong)(tong)濟(ji)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)”取(qu)其“必通(tong)(tong)(tong)而后有(you)(you)濟(ji)也(ye)”之意(yi)。民國初(chu)年(nian),通(tong)(tong)(tong)濟(ji)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)附近河(he)道(dao)淤塞,已極少往來。解(jie)放后,佛(fo)山馬(ma)路多次(ci)擴建(jian),通(tong)(tong)(tong)濟(ji)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)下的河(he)涌(yong)被(bei)改(gai)為(wei)暗溝,橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)面(mian)被(bei)改(gai)為(wei)大馬(ma)路,這(zhe)一帶再(zai)也(ye)找不到“橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)”的痕(hen)跡(ji)了。歲月(yue)變遷(qian),昔(xi)日(ri)通(tong)(tong)(tong)濟(ji)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)已蹤跡(ji)難覓(mi),使年(nian)年(nian)“行通(tong)(tong)(tong)濟(ji)”徒有(you)(you)其名(ming),實(shi)為(wei)憾(han)事。為(wei)保護(hu)歷(li)史(shi)文(wen)化(hua)(hua)遺產,弘(hong)揚(yang)傳統文(wen)化(hua)(hua),佛(fo)山市政府斥資1700萬元(yuan)于2001年(nian)1月(yue)18日(ri)復原通(tong)(tong)(tong)濟(ji)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)。修復后的通(tong)(tong)(tong)濟(ji)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)建(jian)筑優美(mei),文(wen)化(hua)(hua)底蘊深厚。
通(tong)(tong)濟橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)長32米,寬(kuan)9.9米。橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)兩端的(de)(de)(de)(de)抱鼓石,以(yi)(yi)祥云和蝙(bian)蝠(fu)襯托(tuo)風車(che),體現出通(tong)(tong)濟橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)民俗的(de)(de)(de)(de)象(xiang)(xiang)征物(wu)——風車(che)。橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)身上雕刻著相(xiang)傳(chuan)八仙過(guo)海時(shi)所(suo)執的(de)(de)(de)(de)神器,寓意市民過(guo)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)時(shi)祈求(qiu)消災、尋(xun)求(qiu)平(ping)安(an)的(de)(de)(de)(de)美好祝愿。橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)柱的(de)(de)(de)(de)上部,用大象(xiang)(xiang)的(de)(de)(de)(de)頭“拱”出一個果(guo)籃,里(li)面有南瓜(gua)、仙桃,取意“象(xiang)(xiang)抱太平(ping)”。古代(dai)的(de)(de)(de)(de)通(tong)(tong)濟橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao),橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)頭石級共9級,橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)尾13級,反映(ying)出“九出十三歸”的(de)(de)(de)(de)意念。如今也(ye)在(zai)(zai)新橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)上得到體現:以(yi)(yi)防(fang)滑條(tiao)取代(dai)臺(tai)階,在(zai)(zai)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)的(de)(de)(de)(de)北端安(an)置9條(tiao),在(zai)(zai)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)的(de)(de)(de)(de)南端安(an)置13條(tiao)。不(bu)僅提高(gao)了過(guo)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)人的(de)(de)(de)(de)安(an)全(quan)系數,同時(shi)體現了過(guo)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)祈福的(de)(de)(de)(de)意念。通(tong)(tong)濟橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)下面的(de)(de)(de)(de)水體面積2000平(ping)方(fang)米,并設立了親水臺(tai)階、知魚軒、樂(le)魚亭,取意于古詩“魚樂(le)人亦樂(le),泉清(qing)心共清(qing)”。
通濟(ji)橋的(de)牌坊上高高掛著(zhu)“通濟(ji)”的(de)木碑(bei)額,稍下一點有(you)一對對聯(lian):
左聯是(shi)“濟萬人之來往曲橋跨水艷稱村尾垂虹”
右聯是“通(tong)七堡之游行逸(yi)客尋春任(ren)得渡(du)頭飲馬”
對聯概括了(le)原(yuan)通濟(ji)橋(qiao)(qiao)的風(feng)貌特色,但重建后的通濟(ji)橋(qiao)(qiao)遠(yuan)遠(yuan)遜色于原(yuan)橋(qiao)(qiao),沒(mei)有(you)了(le)舟舫如(ru)織,沒(mei)有(you)斜陽映橋(qiao)(qiao)如(ru)虹,重要的是(shi),這只不過是(shi)紀念原(yuan)橋(qiao)(qiao)的一個景點,沒(mei)有(you)了(le)原(yuan)橋(qiao)(qiao)的那種真摯、親(qin)切的感(gan)情。惜(xi)星移(yi)景易,古橋(qiao)(qiao)斷(duan)跡(ji),然(ran)“行通濟(ji)”之風(feng)長盛。
通濟(ji)橋廣場以(yi)通濟(ji)橋、閘門(men)樓(lou)及南北兩個廣場為主軸線(xian),再配以(yi)橋下(xia)(xia)水體(ti)、周邊(bian)(bian)綠化,形成一個面(mian)積7300平方米的(de)公園。閘門(men)樓(lou)的(de)主體(ti)用青磚砌(qi)成,兩邊(bian)(bian)配拱形門(men)洞。閘門(men)的(de)屋脊采用石(shi)灣公仔(zi)圖(tu)案,表現(xian)佛山美(mei)術陶(tao)瓷的(de)魅力,畫面(mian)中勾畫出(chu)古代(dai)通濟(ji)橋興旺(wang)發(fa)達的(de)情景,里面(mian)有(you)財(cai)神(shen)、舞(wu)獅、賣風車等。而公仔(zi)圖(tu)兩邊(bian)(bian)分別(bie)有(you)一條龍(long)和鳳(feng)(feng),寓意(yi)是龍(long)鳳(feng)(feng)呈祥。閘門(men)樓(lou)公仔(zi)屋下(xia)(xia)面(mian),是灰雕圖(tu)“蝙蝠踩雙錢”,用“福(fu)”“錢”寓意(yi)富貴。