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(gong)元628年(nian)),以(yi)后歷(li)代(dai)曾(ceng)經過(guo)多(duo)次修葺。大(da)(da)殿為重檐歇山頂式建筑,面闊7間,進深(shen)6間,結構(gou)嚴謹簡樸(pu)。殿內有(you)(you)木(mu)石接續的大(da)(da)柱(zhu)(zhu)20根(gen),每根(gen)直徑約54厘米,柱(zhu)(zhu)頭微具卷殺,柱(zhu)(zhu)礎呈蓮花覆盆形。斗拱碩大(da)(da),斗底呈皿板(ban)形,高1.5厘米。斗拱和椽檁(lin)之間有(you)(you)彩繪的道教圖案,整座殿堂保存有(you)(you)濃郁的宋代(dai)建筑風格(ge)。元妙(miao)觀三清殿對于(yu)研究宋代的建筑、彩繪藝(yi)術等方面,具(ju)有重要意(yi)義。
該(gai)殿(dian)宋代(dai)稱(cheng)天(tian)慶觀,元明易名為玄妙觀,清避康熙(xi)皇帝玄燁諱(hui)而改(gai)為元妙觀。宋邑人李俊甫在《莆陽比事》中稱(cheng)“天(tian)慶觀三殿(dian)宏麗,甲于八郡(jun)”,寥寥筆墨(mo)點畫(hua)出了當(dang)時該(gai)建(jian)筑群中以三清殿(dian)為主(zhu)的三殿(dian)在宋代(dai)我省建(jian)筑中的
鶴立地位(wei)。整座道觀原建筑規模宏大,布局(ju)對稱嚴謹,主(zhu)次分明。縱(zong)中軸線上依(yi)次為山門(men)、三清(qing)殿(dian)(dian)、玉(yu)皇(huang)殿(dian)(dian)(又名(ming)通明殿(dian)(dian))、九御(yu)殿(dian)(dian)、四官殿(dian)(dian)、文昌殿(dian)(dian),與三清(qing)殿(dian)(dian)橫(heng)向并列(lie)的東(dong)有(you)五帝廟(miao)、東(dong)岳殿(dian)(dian),西(xi)(xi)有(you)五顯廟(miao)、西(xi)(xi)岳殿(dian)(dian)、文昌祠;同玉(yu)皇(huang)殿(dian)(dian)橫(heng)向并列(lie)的東(dong)有(you)林忠烈祠,西(xi)(xi)為關帝廟(miao)和福(fu)神殿(dian)(dian)。今尚(shang)存山門(men)、三清(qing)殿(dian)(dian)、東(dong)岳殿(dian)(dian)、西(xi)(xi)岳殿(dian)(dian)、文昌祠、五帝廟(miao),五顯廟(miao)及關帝廟(miao)大門(men)等。
從三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)脊檁(lin)的(de)墨書上可知,三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)始建于唐貞觀二年(628),宋大中祥符八(ba)年(1015)重(zhong)修(xiu)。《莆陽(yang)比事》載(zai):“元佑間(jian)雷擊殿(dian)(dian)(dian),鴟吻墮(duo),內(nei)得(de)黑(hei)木板(ban),文(wen)曰:‘后八(ba)十年狄覺(jue)奴(nu)來守此邦重(zhong)易殿(dian)(dian)(dian)屋。’主者以聞,郡(jun)守狄明(ming)遠視之(zhi)(zhi)嘆曰:‘吾(wu)小字也(ye),以年計之(zhi)(zhi),吾(wu)猶未生,何其驗耶?’遂(sui)捐俸新(xin)之(zhi)(zhi)。”有(you)史(shi)可查的(de)還有(you)明(ming)永(yong)樂五(wu)年(1408)重(zhong)修(xiu)三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian);明(ming)嘉(jia)靖(jing)三(san)(san)十五(wu)年(1556)道(dao)士方汝調、李(li)志(zhi)升重(zhong)修(xiu)玉(yu)皇(huang)(huang)殿(dian)(dian)(dian);倭寇(kou)陷(xian)城后的(de)明(ming)嘉(jia)靖(jing)四(si)十三(san)(san)年(1564)興化府知府易道(dao)談重(zhong)建山(shan)門(men)(men);明(ming)萬歷九(jiu)年(1581)玉(yu)皇(huang)(huang)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)壞(huai),次(ci)年鄉賢(xian)林兆恩命人勸募重(zhong)建,并重(zhong)修(xiu)了三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、東岳(yue)(yue)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、文(wen)昌(chang)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)和(he)福(fu)(fu)神殿(dian)(dian)(dian);以后道(dao)士單茂喬又(you)募建文(wen)昌(chang)宮、五(wu)顯廟。明(ming)崇禎十三(san)(san)年(1640)又(you)一(yi)次(ci)修(xiu)了三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian),清(qing)(qing)嘉(jia)慶二年(1797)翁廷(ting)璋重(zhong)修(xiu)東岳(yue)(yue)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(包(bao)括中殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、拜亭、兩廡和(he)山(shan)門(men)(men));清(qing)(qing)咸豐(feng)年間(jian)(1851~1861)又(you)一(yi)次(ci)重(zhong)修(xiu)福(fu)(fu)神殿(dian)(dian)(dian);清(qing)(qing)光緒年間(jian)(1875—1908)興化府同知楊(yang)萬清(qing)(qing)又(you)一(yi)次(ci)大修(xiu)了三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian);民國后除了重(zhong)建九(jiu)御殿(dian)(dian)(dian)外(wai),元妙觀其他建筑(zhu)先后遭受破(po)壞(huai);1956年10月,文(wen)化部(bu)撥(bo)款重(zhong)修(xiu)三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian);近年國家文(wen)物局再(zai)次(ci)撥(bo)款大修(xiu)三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)及其附屬建筑(zhu)物。