佇立于鄂州(zhou)市小東(dong)門外大堤俯瞰長(chang)江(jiang)(jiang)，可見一(yi)巨型礁石(shi)屹立江(jiang)(jiang)心，其(qi)勢(shi)(shi)蜿蜒如(ru)龍(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)，此即“龍(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)蟠(pan)(pan)磯”。故又(you)(you)被譽為(wei)(wei)“萬(wan)里長(chang)江(jiang)(jiang)第一(yi)閣(ge)”。湖北省鄂州(zhou)市觀(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)音(yin)閣(ge)長(chang)24 米(mi)，高(gao)14 米(mi)，以(yi)(yi)紅(hong)石(shi)青磚砌就，與(yu)龍(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)蟠(pan)(pan)磯巧妙地融為(wei)(wei)一(yi)體，顯得(de)雄峻(jun)巍峨(e)，氣(qi)勢(shi)(shi)磅礴。千(qian)百(bai)年(nian)來，它(ta)(ta)飽經風(feng)霜，縱覽長(chang)江(jiang)(jiang)。每到汛潮，水漫樓(lou)閣(ge)，只(zhi)剩高(gao)層窗口，甚至只(zhi)剩那檐(yan)牙、龍(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)吻、中亭在(zai)浩淼長(chang)江(jiang)(jiang)水之(zhi)(zhi)中。狂濤巨瀾曾使多少名樓(lou)華構席卷而(er)(er)去，然而(er)(er)，“中流砥(di)柱有(you)蟠(pan)(pan)龍(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)”（清人(ren)(ren)官(guan)文(wen)詩(shi)句），汛期一(yi)過(guo)，水落石(shi)出(chu)(chu)，它(ta)(ta)又(you)(you)橫(heng)空出(chu)(chu)世，威鎮江(jiang)(jiang)心。相傳孫權定都武昌（今(jin)鄂州(zhou)）之(zhi)(zhi)前，有(you)黃龍(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)蟠(pan)(pan)臥磯上，積(ji)日方(fang)去，因而(er)(er)又(you)(you)名“蟠(pan)(pan)龍(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)石(shi)”。蟠(pan)(pan)龍(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)石(shi)翹首(shou)西(xi)望，周(zhou)身罩著(zhu)一(yi)層氤氳(yun)煙氣(qi)，猶如(ru)蜃景。而(er)(er)更(geng)為(wei)(wei)奇妙的是，一(yi)船形(xing)古閣(ge)突兀(wu)在(zai)龍(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)首(shou)之(zhi)(zhi)上，凌空虛懸，橫(heng)江(jiang)(jiang)而(er)(er)峙，這便是令人(ren)(ren)嘆為(wei)(wei)觀(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)止(zhi)的鄂州(zhou)觀(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)音(yin)閣(ge)。又(you)(you)稱龍(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)(long)蟠(pan)(pan)磯寺，2006年(nian)被列為(wei)(wei)第六(liu)批全國重點(dian)文(wen)物保護單位。觀(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)音(yin)閣(ge)始(shi)建(jian)于宋，元至正五年(nian)（1345年(nian)）重建(jian)，明清多次重修。閣(ge)坐東(dong)朝西(xi)，在(zai)礁石(shi)上壘石(shi)成臺，臺上建(jian)閣(ge)。現有(you)祖師殿、觀(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)音(yin)殿和老君殿三殿以(yi)(yi)及純陽(yang)樓(lou)、觀(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)瀾亭等建(jian)筑。萬(wan)里長(chang)江(jiang)(jiang)，險稱天塹，上起巴蜀(shu)，下(xia)至吳淞(song)，唯鄂州(zhou)觀(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)音(yin)閣(ge)雄踞磯頭，宛如(ru)中流砥(di)柱，氣(qi)勢(shi)(shi)磅礴。故又(you)(you)被譽為(wei)(wei)“萬(wan)里長(chang)江(jiang)(jiang)第一(yi)閣(ge)”。
閣(ge)身正(zheng)壁鐫有”觀音閣(ge)”三(san)個遒(qiu)勁的(de)大字。進(jin)閣(ge)正(zheng)門石碑上刻(ke)的(de)“龍蟠曉渡”四字，出自清(qing)代官文手筆(bi)。
閣(ge)內自西向東(dong)，分別是觀(guan)瀾亭、東(dong)方朔殿(dian)(dian)、觀(guan)音殿(dian)(dian)、老君殿(dian)(dian)和純(chun)陽樓。觀(guan)瀾亭上，俯瞰江流，勝景憂宏(hong)；三重殿(dian)(dian)里，仰瞻前賢(xian)，文章(zhang)彪炳(bing)。純(chun)陽樓上呂洞賓正酣燃大(da)睡(shui)，游人至此，莫不止步屏息，會心一(yi)笑：如此蓬萊仙境，獨此公(gong)得其所(suo)哉？
觀音(yin)閣(ge)(ge)下(xia)半部那如(ru)同船舷樣的(de)弧形石，既減緩水勢，又順勢泄流(liu)(liu)，任憑江水拍擊咆哮，總是(shi)穩(wen)于(yu)泰山。古(gu)代鄂(e)州工匠(jiang)對(dui)流(liu)(liu)體力學的(de)奇妙運用(yong)和(he)那風(feng)格獨特的(de)造型藝(yi)術，使(shi)多(duo)少建筑專家駐足留連，贊嘆不已。石墻上的(de)幾棵古(gu)樹，原已枯萎縮多(duo)年，近年竟死而復生，正舒展(zhan)著嫩牙初吐的(de)新枝(zhi)，擁抱(bao)春的(de)到來。閣(ge)(ge)中的(de)那一口老(lao)(lao)井(jing)，自古(gu)水清(qing)見底(di)，水位(wei)要高出(chu)江水數尺，令人稱奇。這老(lao)(lao)井(jing)、古(gu)樹和(he)神(shen)鱉(bie)眼，被稱作觀音(yin)閣(ge)(ge)“三(san)趣”。
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