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),以后歷代曾經過多次修葺。大(da)殿(dian)(dian)為重檐歇山頂式建筑,面闊7間,進深6間,結(jie)構(gou)嚴謹簡樸。殿(dian)(dian)內有木(mu)石(shi)接續(xu)的(de)大(da)柱20根,每根直徑約54厘米,柱頭微具卷殺,柱礎(chu)呈(cheng)蓮(lian)花覆盆形。斗(dou)拱(gong)碩(shuo)大(da),斗(dou)底呈(cheng)皿板形,高1.5厘米。斗(dou)拱(gong)和椽檁之間有彩繪的(de)道教圖案,整(zheng)座殿(dian)(dian)堂(tang)保存有濃郁(yu)的(de)宋代建筑風(feng)格。元妙(miao)觀三清殿(dian)對于研究(jiu)宋代的建筑、彩繪藝(yi)術等方面,具(ju)有重要意義。
該殿(dian)(dian)(dian)宋(song)代稱(cheng)天慶(qing)觀(guan),元(yuan)明易名(ming)為玄妙觀(guan),清避康熙皇帝玄燁諱而改為元(yuan)妙觀(guan)。宋(song)邑人(ren)李俊甫在(zai)《莆陽比事》中稱(cheng)“天慶(qing)觀(guan)三(san)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)宏麗,甲于八郡”,寥寥筆(bi)墨點畫出了當時該建筑群中以三(san)清殿(dian)(dian)(dian)為主的三(san)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)在(zai)宋(song)代我省建筑中的
鶴立(li)地位。整(zheng)座道觀原建筑規(gui)模(mo)宏大(da),布局(ju)對稱嚴謹(jin),主(zhu)次分明(ming)。縱中軸線上(shang)依(yi)次為山門(men)、三清殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、玉皇殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(又名通明(ming)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian))、九御殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、四(si)官殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、文昌(chang)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),與三清殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)橫向(xiang)并(bing)列的(de)東有(you)五(wu)帝(di)廟(miao)、東岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),西有(you)五(wu)顯廟(miao)、西岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、文昌(chang)祠(ci);同玉皇殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)橫向(xiang)并(bing)列的(de)東有(you)林忠烈祠(ci),西為關帝(di)廟(miao)和福神(shen)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)。今尚存山門(men)、三清殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、東岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、西岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、文昌(chang)祠(ci)、五(wu)帝(di)廟(miao),五(wu)顯廟(miao)及關帝(di)廟(miao)大(da)門(men)等。
從(cong)三(san)清殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)脊檁的(de)墨(mo)書上可知(zhi)(zhi),三(san)清殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)始建(jian)(jian)(jian)于唐貞觀二年(nian)(nian)(628),宋大中(zhong)祥符八年(nian)(nian)(1015)重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)。《莆陽比事》載:“元佑間(jian)雷擊殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),鴟吻墮(duo),內得黑(hei)木板,文(wen)曰:‘后(hou)八十(shi)年(nian)(nian)狄覺奴來守此邦重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)易殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)屋。’主者以聞,郡守狄明(ming)遠視之(zhi)嘆曰:‘吾(wu)(wu)小字也(ye),以年(nian)(nian)計之(zhi),吾(wu)(wu)猶未生,何其(qi)驗(yan)耶?’遂捐俸新之(zhi)。”有史可查(cha)的(de)還有明(ming)永樂五(wu)(wu)年(nian)(nian)(1408)重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)三(san)清殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);明(ming)嘉(jia)靖三(san)十(shi)五(wu)(wu)年(nian)(nian)(1556)道(dao)(dao)士方汝調、李(li)志(zhi)升重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)玉(yu)皇殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);倭(wo)寇陷城后(hou)的(de)明(ming)嘉(jia)靖四(si)十(shi)三(san)年(nian)(nian)(1564)興化府知(zhi)(zhi)府易道(dao)(dao)談重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)建(jian)(jian)(jian)山(shan)門;明(ming)萬(wan)歷九年(nian)(nian)(1581)玉(yu)皇殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壞(huai),次(ci)年(nian)(nian)鄉賢林兆恩命(ming)人勸募重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)建(jian)(jian)(jian),并重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)了三(san)清殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、東(dong)岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、文(wen)昌(chang)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)和福(fu)神殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);以后(hou)道(dao)(dao)士單茂喬(qiao)又(you)(you)募建(jian)(jian)(jian)文(wen)昌(chang)宮、五(wu)(wu)顯(xian)廟。明(ming)崇禎十(shi)三(san)年(nian)(nian)(1640)又(you)(you)一次(ci)修(xiu)了三(san)清殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),清嘉(jia)慶二年(nian)(nian)(1797)翁廷(ting)璋重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)東(dong)岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(包括(kuo)中(zhong)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、拜亭、兩(liang)廡和山(shan)門);清咸豐年(nian)(nian)間(jian)(1851~1861)又(you)(you)一次(ci)重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)福(fu)神殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);清光緒年(nian)(nian)間(jian)(1875—1908)興化府同(tong)知(zhi)(zhi)楊萬(wan)清又(you)(you)一次(ci)大修(xiu)了三(san)清殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);民國后(hou)除了重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)建(jian)(jian)(jian)九御(yu)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)外(wai),元妙觀其(qi)他建(jian)(jian)(jian)筑(zhu)先后(hou)遭受破壞(huai);1956年(nian)(nian)10月(yue),文(wen)化部撥(bo)(bo)款重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)三(san)清殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);近(jin)年(nian)(nian)國家文(wen)物局再次(ci)撥(bo)(bo)款大修(xiu)三(san)清殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)及其(qi)附屬建(jian)(jian)(jian)筑(zhu)物。