通(tong)(tong)(tong)濟(ji)橋(qiao)(qiao)在佛山(shan)有(you)著悠久的(de)(de)歷史(shi)意(yi)義(yi),是(shi)佛山(shan)較早興建的(de)(de)第一座大木橋(qiao)(qiao)。據專家考證,該橋(qiao)(qiao)早期由鄉民集(ji)資修(xiu)建的(de)(de)木質人(ren)行(xing)橋(qiao)(qiao)。通(tong)(tong)(tong)濟(ji)橋(qiao)(qiao)橫跨洛水河(he),北連金魚(yu)街(jie),始建于明(ming)代,分別于嘉靖38年(nian)、隆慶(qing)2年(nian)、萬歷9年(nian)三次(ci)(ci)重(zhong)修(xiu)。天啟六年(nian)戶(hu)部(bu)尚(shang)書(shu)李(li)侍問再(zai)(zai)次(ci)(ci)發起募(mu)捐重(zhong)修(xiu),取名(ming)“通(tong)(tong)(tong)濟(ji)橋(qiao)(qiao)”取其“必通(tong)(tong)(tong)而后有(you)濟(ji)也(ye)”之意(yi)。民國初年(nian),通(tong)(tong)(tong)濟(ji)橋(qiao)(qiao)附近河(he)道淤塞,已極少(shao)往來。解放后,佛山(shan)馬路(lu)多次(ci)(ci)擴建,通(tong)(tong)(tong)濟(ji)橋(qiao)(qiao)下的(de)(de)河(he)涌被改為暗溝,橋(qiao)(qiao)面被改為大馬路(lu),這一帶再(zai)(zai)也(ye)找不到(dao)“橋(qiao)(qiao)”的(de)(de)痕跡了。歲月變(bian)遷(qian),昔(xi)日通(tong)(tong)(tong)濟(ji)橋(qiao)(qiao)已蹤跡難覓,使年(nian)年(nian)“行(xing)通(tong)(tong)(tong)濟(ji)”徒(tu)有(you)其名(ming),實(shi)為憾事。為保(bao)護歷史(shi)文化遺(yi)產(chan),弘(hong)揚傳統文化,佛山(shan)市政府斥資1700萬元于2001年(nian)1月18日復原(yuan)通(tong)(tong)(tong)濟(ji)橋(qiao)(qiao)。修(xiu)復后的(de)(de)通(tong)(tong)(tong)濟(ji)橋(qiao)(qiao)建筑優(you)美,文化底蘊(yun)深厚(hou)。
通(tong)(tong)濟(ji)(ji)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)長32米(mi),寬9.9米(mi)。橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)兩端(duan)(duan)的(de)(de)(de)抱鼓(gu)石(shi),以(yi)祥云和(he)蝙(bian)蝠襯托(tuo)風車,體(ti)(ti)現(xian)(xian)出(chu)通(tong)(tong)濟(ji)(ji)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)民(min)俗的(de)(de)(de)象(xiang)征物——風車。橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)身上雕(diao)刻著(zhu)相(xiang)傳八仙(xian)過海時(shi)(shi)所執(zhi)的(de)(de)(de)神器,寓意市民(min)過橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)時(shi)(shi)祈求(qiu)消災、尋求(qiu)平安的(de)(de)(de)美好祝愿。橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)柱的(de)(de)(de)上部,用大象(xiang)的(de)(de)(de)頭“拱”出(chu)一(yi)個果籃,里面(mian)(mian)有南瓜(gua)、仙(xian)桃,取意“象(xiang)抱太(tai)平”。古(gu)代的(de)(de)(de)通(tong)(tong)濟(ji)(ji)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao),橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)頭石(shi)級(ji)共(gong)9級(ji),橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)尾13級(ji),反映出(chu)“九出(chu)十三(san)歸”的(de)(de)(de)意念。如今也(ye)在(zai)新橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)上得到(dao)體(ti)(ti)現(xian)(xian):以(yi)防滑條取代臺階,在(zai)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)的(de)(de)(de)北端(duan)(duan)安置9條,在(zai)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)的(de)(de)(de)南端(duan)(duan)安置13條。不(bu)僅提高了(le)(le)過橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)人(ren)的(de)(de)(de)安全系(xi)數(shu),同時(shi)(shi)體(ti)(ti)現(xian)(xian)了(le)(le)過橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)祈福(fu)的(de)(de)(de)意念。通(tong)(tong)濟(ji)(ji)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)下面(mian)(mian)的(de)(de)(de)水體(ti)(ti)面(mian)(mian)積2000平方米(mi),并設(she)立了(le)(le)親水臺階、知魚軒、樂魚亭,取意于古(gu)詩“魚樂人(ren)亦樂,泉(quan)清(qing)心共(gong)清(qing)”。
通(tong)濟橋的牌坊上高高掛著“通(tong)濟”的木碑額,稍下一點有一對對聯:
左聯是“濟萬(wan)人之來往曲(qu)橋跨(kua)水艷稱村尾垂虹”
右聯(lian)是“通七堡之游行逸客尋春任得渡(du)頭(tou)飲馬(ma)”
對聯(lian)概括了(le)原(yuan)通濟(ji)橋的風貌特色(se)(se),但重建后的通濟(ji)橋遠遠遜色(se)(se)于原(yuan)橋,沒(mei)(mei)有(you)了(le)舟(zhou)舫如織,沒(mei)(mei)有(you)斜陽映橋如虹,重要的是,這只不(bu)過是紀念原(yuan)橋的一(yi)個景(jing)點,沒(mei)(mei)有(you)了(le)原(yuan)橋的那種真摯、親切的感情。惜星移景(jing)易,古(gu)橋斷跡,然“行通濟(ji)”之風長(chang)盛。
通濟橋(qiao)(qiao)廣場(chang)以通濟橋(qiao)(qiao)、閘(zha)門樓及南(nan)北(bei)兩個(ge)廣場(chang)為主軸線(xian),再配以橋(qiao)(qiao)下水體、周(zhou)邊(bian)綠化,形(xing)(xing)成(cheng)(cheng)一個(ge)面(mian)(mian)積(ji)7300平方(fang)米的公(gong)園。閘(zha)門樓的主體用青磚砌成(cheng)(cheng),兩邊(bian)配拱形(xing)(xing)門洞。閘(zha)門的屋脊(ji)采用石灣公(gong)仔(zi)圖案,表現佛(fo)山美(mei)術(shu)陶瓷的魅力,畫(hua)面(mian)(mian)中(zhong)勾畫(hua)出古代通濟橋(qiao)(qiao)興(xing)旺發達的情景(jing),里(li)面(mian)(mian)有財神、舞獅、賣風(feng)車(che)等(deng)。而公(gong)仔(zi)圖兩邊(bian)分(fen)別有一條(tiao)龍和鳳,寓意(yi)是龍鳳呈祥。閘(zha)門樓公(gong)仔(zi)屋下面(mian)(mian),是灰(hui)雕圖“蝙蝠踩雙錢”,用“福”“錢”寓意(yi)富貴。