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(公元628年),以后(hou)歷代曾經過多次修葺。大殿為(wei)重(zhong)檐歇山頂式建筑(zhu)(zhu),面闊(kuo)7間(jian),進深6間(jian),結構嚴謹(jin)簡樸。殿內有木石接(jie)續的大柱20根,每根直(zhi)徑(jing)約54厘米,柱頭微具卷(juan)殺(sha),柱礎呈蓮花覆(fu)盆形。斗拱碩大,斗底呈皿板(ban)形,高(gao)1.5厘米。斗拱和椽(chuan)檁之間(jian)有彩繪的道教圖案,整座殿堂保存有濃郁(yu)的宋(song)代建筑(zhu)(zhu)風格。元妙觀三清殿(dian)對于(yu)研究(jiu)宋代的建筑(zhu)、彩繪藝術(shu)等方面(mian),具有重要意義。
該(gai)殿(dian)宋(song)代(dai)稱天慶(qing)觀(guan),元明(ming)易名(ming)為(wei)玄妙觀(guan),清(qing)避康熙皇帝玄燁諱而改為(wei)元妙觀(guan)。宋(song)邑人李俊甫在《莆陽比事》中(zhong)稱“天慶(qing)觀(guan)三殿(dian)宏(hong)麗,甲于(yu)八郡”,寥寥筆(bi)墨點畫(hua)出(chu)了當(dang)時該(gai)建筑群中(zhong)以三清(qing)殿(dian)為(wei)主的三殿(dian)在宋(song)代(dai)我(wo)省建筑中(zhong)的
鶴立地位。整(zheng)座道觀原建筑規模宏(hong)大,布(bu)局對稱嚴(yan)謹,主次(ci)分(fen)明。縱中(zhong)軸線(xian)上依次(ci)為(wei)山(shan)(shan)門、三(san)清殿(dian)(dian)、玉皇殿(dian)(dian)(又名通明殿(dian)(dian))、九御殿(dian)(dian)、四(si)官殿(dian)(dian)、文(wen)昌(chang)(chang)殿(dian)(dian),與三(san)清殿(dian)(dian)橫向并(bing)列的東(dong)有五(wu)帝廟(miao)、東(dong)岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian),西(xi)有五(wu)顯(xian)廟(miao)、西(xi)岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)、文(wen)昌(chang)(chang)祠;同(tong)玉皇殿(dian)(dian)橫向并(bing)列的東(dong)有林忠(zhong)烈(lie)祠,西(xi)為(wei)關(guan)帝廟(miao)和福神(shen)殿(dian)(dian)。今尚存山(shan)(shan)門、三(san)清殿(dian)(dian)、東(dong)岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)、西(xi)岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)、文(wen)昌(chang)(chang)祠、五(wu)帝廟(miao),五(wu)顯(xian)廟(miao)及(ji)關(guan)帝廟(miao)大門等。
從三清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)脊檁的(de)墨書上可知,三清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)始建(jian)(jian)于(yu)唐貞觀(guan)二年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(628),宋大(da)中祥符(fu)八年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1015)重(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)。《莆陽比事》載:“元佑間雷擊(ji)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),鴟(chi)吻墮,內得黑木板,文(wen)(wen)曰:‘后八十(shi)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)狄覺奴來守(shou)此邦重(zhong)(zhong)易殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)屋(wu)。’主者以(yi)聞,郡守(shou)狄明(ming)遠視之嘆曰:‘吾小字也(ye),以(yi)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)計之,吾猶未生,何其(qi)驗耶?’遂捐(juan)俸新之。”有(you)史(shi)可查(cha)的(de)還有(you)明(ming)永樂五(wu)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1408)重(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)三清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);明(ming)嘉(jia)靖三十(shi)五(wu)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1556)道(dao)士(shi)方(fang)汝調、李(li)志升重(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)玉(yu)皇殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);倭(wo)寇陷城后的(de)明(ming)嘉(jia)靖四(si)十(shi)三年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1564)興化府知府易道(dao)談(tan)重(zhong)(zhong)建(jian)(jian)山門;明(ming)萬歷九(jiu)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1581)玉(yu)皇殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壞,次年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)鄉賢林兆恩(en)命人勸募重(zhong)(zhong)建(jian)(jian),并重(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)了(le)三清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、東(dong)岳殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、文(wen)(wen)昌殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)和福(fu)神殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);以(yi)后道(dao)士(shi)單茂喬又(you)募建(jian)(jian)文(wen)(wen)昌宮、五(wu)顯廟。明(ming)崇(chong)禎十(shi)三年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1640)又(you)一次修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)了(le)三清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),清(qing)(qing)嘉(jia)慶二年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1797)翁廷璋重(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)東(dong)岳殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(包(bao)括中殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、拜亭、兩(liang)廡和山門);清(qing)(qing)咸豐年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)間(1851~1861)又(you)一次重(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)福(fu)神殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);清(qing)(qing)光(guang)緒年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)間(1875—1908)興化府同知楊萬清(qing)(qing)又(you)一次大(da)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)了(le)三清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);民(min)國后除了(le)重(zhong)(zhong)建(jian)(jian)九(jiu)御殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)外,元妙觀(guan)其(qi)他建(jian)(jian)筑先后遭受破壞;1956年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)10月,文(wen)(wen)化部撥款重(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)三清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);近年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)國家文(wen)(wen)物局(ju)再次撥款大(da)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)三清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)及(ji)其(qi)附(fu)屬建(jian)(jian)筑物。