佇立(li)于鄂(e)州(zhou)市(shi)小東(dong)(dong)門外大堤俯瞰長(chang)江(jiang)(jiang)，可見一(yi)(yi)巨型礁石(shi)(shi)屹立(li)江(jiang)(jiang)心，其勢蜿(wan)蜒如(ru)龍(long)(long)(long)(long)，此即“龍(long)(long)(long)(long)蟠磯”。故又(you)(you)被(bei)譽(yu)為(wei)(wei)“萬(wan)里長(chang)江(jiang)(jiang)第一(yi)(yi)閣”。湖北省(sheng)鄂(e)州(zhou)市(shi)觀(guan)音(yin)閣長(chang)24 米，高(gao)14 米，以(yi)紅石(shi)(shi)青(qing)磚(zhuan)砌就(jiu)，與龍(long)(long)(long)(long)蟠磯巧妙(miao)地融(rong)為(wei)(wei)一(yi)(yi)體，顯得(de)雄(xiong)峻巍(wei)峨，氣勢磅礴。千(qian)百年(nian)來，它(ta)飽(bao)經風霜，縱覽(lan)長(chang)江(jiang)(jiang)。每到汛潮(chao)，水(shui)漫樓閣，只剩高(gao)層窗口(kou)，甚至(zhi)只剩那檐牙、龍(long)(long)(long)(long)吻(wen)、中(zhong)亭在(zai)浩淼長(chang)江(jiang)(jiang)水(shui)之中(zhong)。狂濤巨瀾曾使(shi)多(duo)少(shao)名樓華構席(xi)卷而(er)去，然而(er)，“中(zhong)流砥(di)柱(zhu)有蟠龍(long)(long)(long)(long)”（清人(ren)官文詩句），汛期一(yi)(yi)過，水(shui)落石(shi)(shi)出，它(ta)又(you)(you)橫空出世，威鎮(zhen)江(jiang)(jiang)心。相傳孫權(quan)定都武(wu)昌（今鄂(e)州(zhou)）之前，有黃龍(long)(long)(long)(long)蟠臥磯上，積日方去，因而(er)又(you)(you)名“蟠龍(long)(long)(long)(long)石(shi)(shi)”。蟠龍(long)(long)(long)(long)石(shi)(shi)翹首西(xi)望，周身罩著一(yi)(yi)層氤(yin)氳煙氣，猶如(ru)蜃景。而(er)更為(wei)(wei)奇(qi)妙(miao)的是(shi)，一(yi)(yi)船形古閣突兀在(zai)龍(long)(long)(long)(long)首之上，凌(ling)空虛懸，橫江(jiang)(jiang)而(er)峙，這便是(shi)令人(ren)嘆為(wei)(wei)觀(guan)止(zhi)的鄂(e)州(zhou)觀(guan)音(yin)閣。又(you)(you)稱龍(long)(long)(long)(long)蟠磯寺，2006年(nian)被(bei)列為(wei)(wei)第六(liu)批全(quan)國重點文物保護單位。觀(guan)音(yin)閣始建(jian)(jian)于宋，元(yuan)至(zhi)正五(wu)年(nian)（1345年(nian)）重建(jian)(jian)，明清多(duo)次(ci)重修。閣坐東(dong)(dong)朝西(xi)，在(zai)礁石(shi)(shi)上壘石(shi)(shi)成臺，臺上建(jian)(jian)閣。現有祖師殿、觀(guan)音(yin)殿和老(lao)君殿三殿以(yi)及(ji)純(chun)陽樓、觀(guan)瀾亭等建(jian)(jian)筑。萬(wan)里長(chang)江(jiang)(jiang)，險稱天塹(qian)，上起巴蜀，下至(zhi)吳淞(song)，唯(wei)鄂(e)州(zhou)觀(guan)音(yin)閣雄(xiong)踞磯頭，宛如(ru)中(zhong)流砥(di)柱(zhu)，氣勢磅礴。故又(you)(you)被(bei)譽(yu)為(wei)(wei)“萬(wan)里長(chang)江(jiang)(jiang)第一(yi)(yi)閣”。
閣身正(zheng)壁鐫有”觀音(yin)閣”三個遒(qiu)勁的大字(zi)。進閣正(zheng)門(men)石碑(bei)上刻的“龍蟠曉渡”四字(zi)，出(chu)自(zi)清代官(guan)文手筆。
閣內自西向東(dong)，分別是觀瀾(lan)亭(ting)、東(dong)方朔(shuo)殿(dian)(dian)、觀音殿(dian)(dian)、老君(jun)殿(dian)(dian)和純(chun)陽樓(lou)。觀瀾(lan)亭(ting)上，俯(fu)瞰江流，勝景憂宏；三重殿(dian)(dian)里，仰瞻前賢(xian)，文章(zhang)彪炳。純(chun)陽樓(lou)上呂洞賓正酣燃(ran)大(da)睡，游人至此(ci)(ci)，莫不止步屏息，會心(xin)一笑(xiao)：如此(ci)(ci)蓬萊仙(xian)境，獨(du)此(ci)(ci)公(gong)得其所(suo)哉？
觀音閣下半部(bu)那(nei)如同船舷樣的弧形(xing)石(shi)，既減緩(huan)水(shui)勢，又(you)順勢泄流，任憑江水(shui)拍擊咆哮(xiao)，總是穩于泰山。古(gu)(gu)代鄂州工匠對(dui)流體(ti)力(li)學的奇妙運用和那(nei)風格獨特(te)的造型藝術，使多少建筑專家駐足留連(lian)，贊嘆不已。石(shi)墻上的幾(ji)棵古(gu)(gu)樹，原已枯萎縮多年，近年竟(jing)死而復生，正舒展著(zhu)嫩牙初吐的新(xin)枝(zhi)，擁抱春的到來。閣中的那(nei)一口老井，自古(gu)(gu)水(shui)清見底，水(shui)位(wei)要(yao)高出江水(shui)數尺，令人(ren)稱(cheng)奇。這老井、古(gu)(gu)樹和神鱉眼，被稱(cheng)作觀音閣“三趣”。
給生活一把琴 
