元妙觀三清殿始建于唐貞觀二年(公元628年),北宋大中祥符八年(公元1015年)重建,改名為“天慶觀”,元代稱“玄妙觀”,至清代又改稱“元妙觀”。現存建筑有三清殿、山門及東、西岳殿各一座。三清殿始建于唐貞觀二年(nian)(公元628年(nian)),以后(hou)歷代曾經(jing)過多(duo)次(ci)修葺(qi)。大(da)殿(dian)為重檐歇山(shan)頂(ding)式建筑,面闊7間,進深6間,結構嚴(yan)謹簡樸。殿(dian)內(nei)有(you)木石接續的大(da)柱20根,每根直徑約54厘(li)(li)米,柱頭微具卷(juan)殺,柱礎呈蓮花覆盆形。斗拱碩大(da),斗底呈皿板形,高1.5厘(li)(li)米。斗拱和(he)椽檁之間有(you)彩繪的道教圖(tu)案,整座殿(dian)堂保(bao)存有(you)濃郁(yu)的宋代建筑風格。元妙(miao)觀三清殿對于(yu)研究宋代的建筑、彩繪藝術等方面(mian),具有重要意義(yi)。
該殿宋(song)代稱天(tian)慶(qing)觀(guan),元明易名(ming)為玄(xuan)(xuan)妙觀(guan),清避康熙皇帝玄(xuan)(xuan)燁諱而(er)改為元妙觀(guan)。宋(song)邑人李俊甫在(zai)《莆陽比事》中稱“天(tian)慶(qing)觀(guan)三(san)殿宏麗,甲于八郡”,寥寥筆墨點(dian)畫(hua)出了當時該建筑群中以三(san)清殿為主的三(san)殿在(zai)宋(song)代我省建筑中的
鶴(he)立(li)地(di)位。整座道觀原(yuan)建筑(zhu)規模宏大,布局對稱(cheng)嚴謹,主次分明(ming)。縱中(zhong)軸線上依次為山(shan)門(men)、三清殿(dian)、玉(yu)皇殿(dian)(又名通(tong)明(ming)殿(dian))、九御殿(dian)、四官(guan)殿(dian)、文昌(chang)殿(dian),與三清殿(dian)橫向并列的東(dong)(dong)有(you)五帝廟(miao)(miao)、東(dong)(dong)岳(yue)殿(dian),西有(you)五顯廟(miao)(miao)、西岳(yue)殿(dian)、文昌(chang)祠;同玉(yu)皇殿(dian)橫向并列的東(dong)(dong)有(you)林忠烈祠,西為關帝廟(miao)(miao)和(he)福神殿(dian)。今尚存山(shan)門(men)、三清殿(dian)、東(dong)(dong)岳(yue)殿(dian)、西岳(yue)殿(dian)、文昌(chang)祠、五帝廟(miao)(miao),五顯廟(miao)(miao)及關帝廟(miao)(miao)大門(men)等。
從三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)脊檁(lin)的墨書上可知,三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)始建(jian)(jian)于唐貞觀二(er)(er)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(628),宋大(da)中(zhong)祥符八(ba)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(1015)重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)。《莆陽(yang)比事(shi)》載:“元佑間雷擊殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),鴟吻墮,內得(de)黑(hei)木板(ban),文(wen)曰(yue)(yue):‘后(hou)八(ba)十(shi)(shi)年(nian)(nian)(nian)狄(di)覺奴(nu)來守(shou)此邦重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)易殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)屋(wu)。’主者以(yi)聞(wen),郡守(shou)狄(di)明(ming)遠視(shi)之嘆曰(yue)(yue):‘吾小字也(ye),以(yi)年(nian)(nian)(nian)計之,吾猶未(wei)生,何其驗耶?’遂(sui)捐俸(feng)新之。”有史可查的還有明(ming)永樂五年(nian)(nian)(nian)(1408)重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);明(ming)嘉靖三(san)(san)十(shi)(shi)五年(nian)(nian)(nian)(1556)道(dao)士方汝調(diao)、李志升重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)玉皇殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);倭(wo)寇(kou)陷城(cheng)后(hou)的明(ming)嘉靖四十(shi)(shi)三(san)(san)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(1564)興(xing)化府(fu)(fu)知府(fu)(fu)易道(dao)談(tan)重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)建(jian)(jian)山門;明(ming)萬歷(li)九年(nian)(nian)(nian)(1581)玉皇殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壞,次年(nian)(nian)(nian)鄉賢林兆(zhao)恩命人勸募(mu)重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)建(jian)(jian),并重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)了三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、東(dong)岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、文(wen)昌殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)和福神殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);以(yi)后(hou)道(dao)士單(dan)茂喬又募(mu)建(jian)(jian)文(wen)昌宮、五顯(xian)廟。明(ming)崇禎(zhen)十(shi)(shi)三(san)(san)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(1640)又一(yi)次修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)了三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),清(qing)(qing)嘉慶二(er)(er)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(1797)翁廷璋重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)東(dong)岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(包括(kuo)中(zhong)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、拜亭、兩廡和山門);清(qing)(qing)咸(xian)豐(feng)年(nian)(nian)(nian)間(1851~1861)又一(yi)次重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)福神殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);清(qing)(qing)光緒年(nian)(nian)(nian)間(1875—1908)興(xing)化府(fu)(fu)同知楊萬清(qing)(qing)又一(yi)次大(da)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)了三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);民國后(hou)除了重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)建(jian)(jian)九御(yu)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)外,元妙觀其他建(jian)(jian)筑先(xian)后(hou)遭(zao)受破(po)壞;1956年(nian)(nian)(nian)10月(yue),文(wen)化部撥款重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);近年(nian)(nian)(nian)國家文(wen)物(wu)(wu)局再(zai)次撥款大(da)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)及其附屬建(jian)(jian)筑物(wu)(wu)。