該閣建(jian)于(yu)明洪武(wu)年間,為3層重檐(yan)(yan)斗拱(gong)建(jian)筑,由36根高大(da)(da)的(de)(de)(de)(de)圓(yuan)柱(zhu)支撐,頂部全是梁架(jia)半拱(gong),漸(jian)次往上收攏成八卦形(xing),至屋頂為太(tai)(tai)極圖(tu)。屋頂系金黃(huang)(huang)琉璃(li)瓦鋪(pu)就,外觀(guan)飛檐(yan)(yan)翅角,看(kan)上去端莊大(da)(da)方,氣(qi)勢雄偉。樓內(nei)有(you)精美的(de)(de)(de)(de)壁畫(hua),泥塑和浮(fu)雕,樓前有(you)兩亭一臺(tai),還有(you)3棵枝繁葉茂的(de)(de)(de)(de)大(da)(da)青(qing)樹,旁邊有(you)太(tai)(tai)清仙(xian)境、玄帝觀(guan)、文(wen)昌宮(gong)等建(jian)筑,為保山的(de)(de)(de)(de)八景之(zhi)一。十分玄妙的(de)(de)(de)(de)是,玉皇閣的(de)(de)(de)(de)第二層掛有(you)一塊(kuai)匾,從正面看(kan)是 “至誠無息”朱黃(huang)(huang)色大(da)(da)字(zi)(zi);從左(zuo)邊看(kan)是“龍飛鳳舞”紅綠色大(da)(da)字(zi)(zi);從右邊看(kan)則是“海晏河(he)清”褐紅色大(da)(da)字(zi)(zi),實為奇(qi)中之(zhi)奇(qi),至今無人能說得清其中的(de)(de)(de)(de)奧妙,充分反(fan)映了古代勞(lao)動(dong)人民的(de)(de)(de)(de)聰明才智。
據《永(yong)昌府志(zhi)》載,玉(yu)皇閣為(wei)明嘉靖二(er)十(shi)四年(公元1545年)郡人(ren)馮君魯在原毗(pi)盧閣廢(fei)址上所(suo)建,現存大(da)(da)殿(dian)(dian)及大(da)(da)殿(dian)(dian)前丹(dan)墀兩側(ce)之(zhi)鐘鼓(gu)二(er)亭(ting)。大(da)(da)殿(dian)(dian)矗立(li)在鑲嵌(qian)青(qing)石浮雕(diao)(diao)的高(gao)臺基座(zuo)上,基座(zuo)平(ping)面(mian)401平(ping)方米(mi)(mi),高(gao)闊方直,呈(cheng)灰青(qing)色(se)(se)調(diao),給(gei)人(ren)以(yi)素(su)雅博大(da)(da)之(zhi)感。其上所(suo)承大(da)(da)殿(dian)(dian)為(wei)三重檐(yan)歇山(shan)頂(ding),早先曾塑玉(yu)皇金身座(zuo)像(xiang)和四大(da)(da)真人(ren)巨(ju)型立(li)像(xiang)。大(da)(da)殿(dian)(dian)面(mian)闊5間(jian)(jian),23米(mi)(mi);進深5間(jian)(jian),17米(mi)(mi)。下(xia)有六(liu)(liu)六(liu)(liu)三十(shi)六(liu)(liu)根大(da)(da)柱(zhu)舉架支(zhi)撐,中(zhong)(zhong)柱(zhu)通(tong)(tong)高(gao)13.6米(mi)(mi)。明間(jian)(jian)和次間(jian)(jian)之(zhi)間(jian)(jian)采用移柱(zhu)法將(jiang)中(zhong)(zhong)柱(zhu)后移,以(yi)擴寬殿(dian)(dian)堂中(zhong)(zhong)央空間(jian)(jian);穹頂(ding)呈(cheng)覆斗形八卦藻井,頂(ding)面(mian)繪(hui)(hui)太極圖;殿(dian)(dian)內壁畫飄逸多姿,一(yi)派(pai)仙家氣(qi)象;格子門勻(yun)雕(diao)(diao)有動物(wu)、花(hua)卉,空靈(ling)娟秀。殿(dian)(dian)頂(ding)通(tong)(tong)覆黃色(se)(se)琉璃瓦,正脊(ji)飾(shi)(shi)以(yi)寶頂(ding)、禽獸、鴟吻,垂脊(ji)亦作花(hua)飾(shi)(shi)、尾吻,四角懸以(yi)風鈴。三重檐(yan)下(xia)均懸巨(ju)匾(bian),尤其是二(er)層(ceng)檐(yan)口懸掛的四塊木質浮雕(diao)(diao)彩繪(hui)(hui)的單字匾(bian)引人(ren)注目,正視為(wei)“至誠無息”四個(ge)朱黃大(da)(da)字,右側(ce)(北)視為(wei)“龍飛鳳(feng)舞(wu)”四個(ge)紅(hong)綠(lv)色(se)(se)大(da)(da)字,左側(ce)(南)視為(wei)“諸神參天”四個(ge)紅(hong)褐色(se)(se)大(da)(da)字,一(yi)匾(bian)而三用,建筑師(shi)匠心獨運,由此可(ke)見(jian)一(yi)斑。殿(dian)(dian)前兩側(ce)為(wei)鐘鼓(gu)二(er)亭(ting),昔時亭(ting)內懸鐘架鼓(gu),朝暮為(wei)聲;大(da)(da)殿(dian)(dian)北鄰之(zhi)會(hui)真樓(lou),為(wei)徐霞客當年游歷保(bao)山(shan)下(xia)榻處所(suo)。
云(yun)南(nan)保(bao)(bao)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)太(tai)保(bao)(bao)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)門(men),太(tai)保(bao)(bao)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)景區(qu)有(you)玉(yu)皇(huang)閣(ge)、玉(yu)佛殿(dian)、角(jiao)亭龍雕(diao)、山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)頂戲樓(lou)、山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)頂武侯(hou)祠(ci)、石(shi)楠樹、印度榕(rong)、同(tong)心樹、二十四節氣(qi)石(shi)刻等(deng)景點。玉(yu)皇(huang)閣(ge)位于太(tai)保(bao)(bao)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)門(men)不(bu)遠處,緊鄰(lin)玉(yu)佛殿(dian),始建(jian)于明代,經歷代修葺建(jian)設終成今天的(de)規(gui)模(mo)。保(bao)(bao)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)太(tai)保(bao)(bao)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)玉(yu)皇(huang)閣(ge)有(you)麒麟、鐘鼓亭、金(jin)鑾寶(bao)殿(dian)、山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)神殿(dian)、三官殿(dian)等(deng)景點。其莊嚴超拔(ba)的(de)氣(qi)勢(shi)、精(jing)妙至極的(de)建(jian)筑工(gong)藝令人贊嘆,可謂古(gu)“西(xi)南(nan)絲綢之路”重(zhong)鎮一(yi)顆光耀奪目的(de)古(gu)建(jian)筑瑰寶(bao)。玉(yu)皇(huang)閣(ge)曾經是保(bao)(bao)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)市博物館所(suo)在(zai)地。后改為宗教活動場所(suo),現為隆陽區(qu)道(dao)協所(suo)在(zai)地。 2006年(nian)05月25日,保(bao)(bao)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)玉(yu)皇(huang)閣(ge)作為明代古(gu)建(jian)筑,被國務院(yuan)批準列(lie)入第(di)六批全國重(zhong)點文物保(bao)(bao)護(hu)單(dan)位名單(dan)。