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)),以后歷代曾經過(guo)多(duo)次修葺。大殿(dian)為重(zhong)檐歇(xie)山頂式(shi)建筑(zhu),面闊7間,進深6間,結構(gou)嚴謹簡樸(pu)。殿(dian)內有(you)木石接續的(de)大柱20根,每根直徑(jing)約54厘米(mi),柱頭微具卷殺,柱礎(chu)呈(cheng)蓮花覆盆形。斗(dou)拱碩大,斗(dou)底呈(cheng)皿板形,高1.5厘米(mi)。斗(dou)拱和椽檁(lin)之間有(you)彩繪的(de)道教圖案,整(zheng)座(zuo)殿(dian)堂保存有(you)濃(nong)郁的(de)宋代建筑(zhu)風(feng)格。元妙觀三清殿對于研究宋(song)代的(de)建筑、彩繪藝術等方面,具有重要意(yi)義。
該(gai)(gai)殿(dian)(dian)宋(song)代稱天慶觀(guan),元明易名為(wei)玄(xuan)妙(miao)觀(guan),清避康熙皇(huang)帝玄(xuan)燁諱而改(gai)為(wei)元妙(miao)觀(guan)。宋(song)邑人李(li)俊甫在《莆陽比事》中稱“天慶觀(guan)三殿(dian)(dian)宏麗,甲于八郡”,寥(liao)寥(liao)筆墨點(dian)畫出了(le)當時該(gai)(gai)建筑群中以三清殿(dian)(dian)為(wei)主的三殿(dian)(dian)在宋(song)代我省建筑中的
鶴立地位。整座道(dao)觀原建筑規模(mo)宏大,布局對稱嚴謹(jin),主次(ci)分明(ming)。縱中(zhong)軸(zhou)線上依次(ci)為山門(men)(men)、三清殿(dian)(dian)、玉皇殿(dian)(dian)(又(you)名(ming)通明(ming)殿(dian)(dian))、九御殿(dian)(dian)、四官殿(dian)(dian)、文昌殿(dian)(dian),與三清殿(dian)(dian)橫向并(bing)列的(de)東(dong)有五帝廟(miao)(miao)(miao)、東(dong)岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian),西有五顯廟(miao)(miao)(miao)、西岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)、文昌祠;同玉皇殿(dian)(dian)橫向并(bing)列的(de)東(dong)有林忠烈(lie)祠,西為關(guan)帝廟(miao)(miao)(miao)和福神殿(dian)(dian)。今尚存山門(men)(men)、三清殿(dian)(dian)、東(dong)岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)、西岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)、文昌祠、五帝廟(miao)(miao)(miao),五顯廟(miao)(miao)(miao)及關(guan)帝廟(miao)(miao)(miao)大門(men)(men)等。
從三(san)(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)脊檁的(de)墨書上(shang)可知,三(san)(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(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(ba)年(nian)(nian)(1015)重修(xiu)。《莆陽比事》載(zai):“元(yuan)佑間(jian)雷擊(ji)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),鴟吻墮(duo),內得(de)黑木板(ban),文(wen)(wen)曰(yue):‘后八(ba)十(shi)年(nian)(nian)狄(di)覺奴來守此邦重易殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)屋。’主者以聞,郡守狄(di)明遠視之(zhi)嘆曰(yue):‘吾(wu)小字也,以年(nian)(nian)計之(zhi),吾(wu)猶(you)未生,何(he)其驗(yan)耶?’遂捐俸新之(zhi)。”有史可查的(de)還有明永樂五(wu)年(nian)(nian)(1408)重修(xiu)三(san)(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);明嘉靖(jing)(jing)三(san)(san)(san)十(shi)五(wu)年(nian)(nian)(1556)道士方(fang)汝調(diao)、李志升重修(xiu)玉(yu)皇殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);倭(wo)寇陷(xian)城后的(de)明嘉靖(jing)(jing)四十(shi)三(san)(san)(san)年(nian)(nian)(1564)興化(hua)府(fu)(fu)知府(fu)(fu)易道談重建(jian)(jian)(jian)山(shan)門(men);明萬歷九年(nian)(nian)(1581)玉(yu)皇殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壞,次(ci)年(nian)(nian)鄉賢(xian)林(lin)兆恩命人勸募(mu)重建(jian)(jian)(jian),并重修(xiu)了(le)三(san)(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、東岳殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、文(wen)(wen)昌殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)和福神殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);以后道士單茂喬又募(mu)建(jian)(jian)(jian)文(wen)(wen)昌宮、五(wu)顯廟。明崇禎十(shi)三(san)(san)(san)年(nian)(nian)(1640)又一(yi)次(ci)修(xiu)了(le)三(san)(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),清(qing)(qing)(qing)嘉慶(qing)二年(nian)(nian)(1797)翁廷璋重修(xiu)東岳殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(包括(kuo)中(zhong)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、拜(bai)亭、兩廡(wu)和山(shan)門(men));清(qing)(qing)(qing)咸豐(feng)年(nian)(nian)間(jian)(1851~1861)又一(yi)次(ci)重修(xiu)福神殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);清(qing)(qing)(qing)光(guang)緒(xu)年(nian)(nian)間(jian)(1875—1908)興化(hua)府(fu)(fu)同(tong)知楊萬清(qing)(qing)(qing)又一(yi)次(ci)大修(xiu)了(le)三(san)(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);民(min)國后除了(le)重建(jian)(jian)(jian)九御殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)外,元(yuan)妙觀其他建(jian)(jian)(jian)筑先后遭受破壞;1956年(nian)(nian)10月,文(wen)(wen)化(hua)部(bu)撥款(kuan)重修(xiu)三(san)(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);近年(nian)(nian)國家文(wen)(wen)物局再次(ci)撥款(kuan)大修(xiu)三(san)(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)及其附屬建(jian)(jian)(jian)筑物。