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(zhou)公(gong)(gong)園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)位于蘇州(zhou)胥門古城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)河(he)畔,占地4公(gong)(gong)頃,利用萬(wan)年橋(qiao)(qiao)到(dao)新市橋(qiao)(qiao)沿(yan)運河(he)段有一(yi)(yi)段古城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang),與運河(he)結合創建了一(yi)(yi)座開放式(shi)的(de)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)市公(gong)(gong)園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)。園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)內景色(se)優美(mei),是個休閑散(san)步的(de)好地方。公(gong)(gong)園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)夜景是一(yi)(yi)大特色(se),夜晚(wan)景色(se)尤美(mei),可船游(you)古城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)河(he)美(mei)景。每年元宵節還有燈會,屆(jie)時可以猜(cai)燈謎、表演(yan),還有美(mei)食(shi)小吃等(deng)。公(gong)(gong)園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)主要(yao)景點(dian)有城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)樓、護城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)河(he)、拱橋(qiao)(qiao)等(deng)。
胥(xu)(xu)門(men),也稱老(lao)胥(xu)(xu)門(men),在(zai)萬年(nian)橋(qiao)以南。戰國春申(shen)君測知太湖地勢高過蘇(su)州(zhou),為(wei)免城(cheng)內(nei)遭泛濫之災(zai),就把胥(xu)(xu)門(men)水道加以封(feng)閉,此后(hou)胥(xu)(xu)門(men)便無水門(men)。胥(xu)(xu)門(men)內(nei)城(cheng)在(zai)百花洲,甕城(cheng)為(wei)梯形,奇怪的(de)是胥(xu)(xu)門(men)外城(cheng)門(men)不(bu)是正(zheng)面朝西,而是朝南,想(xiang)必古人(ren)大概(gai)是想(xiang)避開兵(bing)火的(de)直(zhi)接沖撞吧,這(zhe)樣做似乎(hu)安全些,但卻給人(ren)進出(chu)帶來了很大不(bu)便。行人(ren)須經(jing)學士街,由(you)內(nei)城(cheng)門(men)進甕城(cheng),朝南出(chu)外城(cheng)門(men),再(zai)沿河北(bei)上(shang)走幾(ji)百步,然后(hou)才(cai)能上(shang)萬年(nian)橋(qiao)。而今,蘇(su)州(zhou)政府在(zai)胥(xu)(xu)門(men)建成了占地4萬平方米的(de)百花洲公(gong)園。
胥(xu)門(men),又稱“姑(gu)(gu)胥(xu)門(men)”,因(yin)闔(he)閭從(cong)此門(men)而出登臨姑(gu)(gu)蘇(su)臺(tai)而得(de)(de)名(ming)。最初也是水(shui)陸(lu)(lu)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)門(men),到(dao)(dao)了(le)(le)北(bei)(bei)宋陸(lu)(lu)門(men)被(bei)(bei)堙塞了(le)(le),僅存水(shui)門(men);金兵(bing)南下(xia)時(shi),蘇(su)州城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)被(bei)(bei)劫掠(lve)一(yi)(yi)空后(hou)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)也付之(zhi)一(yi)(yi)炬(ju),“凡地面以上幾無一(yi)(yi)碑一(yi)(yi)刻之(zhi)遺(yi)”;不足(zu)百年(nian)(nian),南宋又把城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)重建(jian)得(de)(de)比以前更加俊(jun)挺,只是胥(xu)門(men)被(bei)(bei)取消了(le)(le);元初平定江南后(hou),元兵(bing)的(de)(de)鐵騎嫌城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)礙事(shi)(shi),蘇(su)州城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)又遭拆毀;而到(dao)(dao)了(le)(le)元末,為(wei)了(le)(le)防(fang)御反元義軍的(de)(de)進攻(gong),再筑城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)(qiang),因(yin)在(zai)近(jin)旁的(de)(de)姑(gu)(gu)蘇(su)驛下(xia)挖得(de)(de)刻有“胥(xu)門(men)”二字(zi)的(de)(de)石塊,于(yu)(yu)是恢(hui)復(fu)了(le)(le)胥(xu)門(men),但只建(jian)了(le)(le)陸(lu)(lu)門(men),未建(jian)水(shui)門(men),以防(fang)太湖洪(hong)水(shui)入城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng);不久張士誠(cheng)占領(ling)了(le)(le)蘇(su)州城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng),加固了(le)(le)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)(qiang),又在(zai)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)門(men)外增設了(le)(le)甕城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)。民國(guo)時(shi)籌(chou)建(jian)蘇(su)州市,為(wei)方(fang)便交通,除(chu)盤門(men)外的(de)(de)所(suo)有甕城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)又都(dou)被(bei)(bei)拆除(chu)了(le)(le)。 從(cong)戰(zhan)國(guo)時(shi)伍(wu)子(zi)(zi)胥(xu)在(zai)胥(xu)門(men)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)樓掛(gua)頭(tou)顱(lu),“以觀越(yue)滅(mie)吳”,到(dao)(dao)北(bei)(bei)宋王安石感嘆“千家漁(yu)火秋風事(shi)(shi),一(yi)(yi)葉歸舟暮(mu)雨灣”,再到(dao)(dao)明清(qing)時(shi)期“商賈云集,五方(fang)雜處”,及至現在(zai)的(de)(de)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)隱而復(fu)現,并成為(wei)清(qing)悠的(de)(de)休閑地,胥(xu)門(men)滄(cang)桑就如(ru)同演了(le)(le)一(yi)(yi)出黑色(se)幽默劇。”北(bei)(bei)面是伍(wu)子(zi)(zi)胥(xu)的(de)(de)石雕。伍(wu)子(zi)(zi)胥(xu)雄才大略,深得(de)(de)吳王闔(he)閭信(xin)任。吳王闔(he)閭九年(nian)(nian),伍(wu)子(zi)(zi)胥(xu)幫助吳王西破強楚,北(bei)(bei)威齊晉,南服(fu)越(yue)人,吳國(guo)國(guo)力(li)達到(dao)(dao)了(le)(le)鼎盛(sheng)之(zhi)勢。但因(yin)后(hou)主夫差聽信(xin)讒(chan)言(yan),于(yu)(yu)公元前484年(nian)(nian)秋賜劍使伍(wu)子(zi)(zi)胥(xu)自刎,并將(jiang)其(qi)尸放鴟夷革中(zhong),漂浮江上。