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)),以后歷代曾經過多次(ci)修葺。大殿(dian)(dian)為重檐(yan)歇山頂式建(jian)筑(zhu),面(mian)闊7間(jian)(jian),進深6間(jian)(jian),結構嚴謹簡樸。殿(dian)(dian)內有(you)木石接續(xu)的大柱20根(gen),每根(gen)直徑約54厘米,柱頭微(wei)具卷殺(sha),柱礎呈蓮(lian)花覆盆形。斗拱碩大,斗底(di)呈皿(min)板形,高1.5厘米。斗拱和椽檁(lin)之間(jian)(jian)有(you)彩繪的道(dao)教圖案,整座(zuo)殿(dian)(dian)堂(tang)保存有(you)濃(nong)郁的宋(song)代建(jian)筑(zhu)風格。元妙觀三(san)清殿對于研究宋代的建(jian)筑、彩繪藝術等方面(mian),具有(you)重要意義(yi)。
該殿宋(song)代稱天慶(qing)觀(guan),元(yuan)(yuan)明(ming)易名為(wei)玄妙(miao)觀(guan),清避康熙皇(huang)帝(di)玄燁諱而改為(wei)元(yuan)(yuan)妙(miao)觀(guan)。宋(song)邑人李(li)俊甫(fu)在《莆陽比事(shi)》中稱“天慶(qing)觀(guan)三(san)(san)殿宏(hong)麗,甲于八郡”,寥(liao)寥(liao)筆墨點畫(hua)出了當(dang)時該建(jian)(jian)筑群中以(yi)三(san)(san)清殿為(wei)主(zhu)的(de)三(san)(san)殿在宋(song)代我省(sheng)建(jian)(jian)筑中的(de)
鶴立地位。整(zheng)座道(dao)觀(guan)原建筑規模(mo)宏大,布(bu)局(ju)對稱嚴謹,主次分(fen)明(ming)(ming)。縱中軸線(xian)上依次為山門、三清(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、玉皇殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(又名通明(ming)(ming)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian))、九御(yu)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、四官(guan)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、文昌殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),與三清(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)橫向并列的(de)東(dong)(dong)有五(wu)(wu)帝(di)廟(miao)(miao)、東(dong)(dong)岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),西有五(wu)(wu)顯廟(miao)(miao)、西岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、文昌祠;同玉皇殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)橫向并列的(de)東(dong)(dong)有林忠烈祠,西為關帝(di)廟(miao)(miao)和(he)福神殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)。今尚存山門、三清(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、東(dong)(dong)岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、西岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、文昌祠、五(wu)(wu)帝(di)廟(miao)(miao),五(wu)(wu)顯廟(miao)(miao)及關帝(di)廟(miao)(miao)大門等。
從(cong)三(san)(san)(san)(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)脊檁的(de)墨書上可知,三(san)(san)(san)(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)始建(jian)于唐貞觀二(er)年(628),宋大中祥符八(ba)年(1015)重修(xiu)。《莆陽比(bi)事》載:“元(yuan)(yuan)佑間雷擊殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),鴟吻墮,內得黑木板,文(wen)曰(yue):‘后(hou)八(ba)十(shi)(shi)(shi)年狄(di)覺奴來(lai)守此邦重易殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)屋。’主者以聞(wen),郡守狄(di)明(ming)(ming)遠視之(zhi)(zhi)嘆曰(yue):‘吾(wu)小字也(ye),以年計之(zhi)(zhi),吾(wu)猶未生,何(he)其(qi)驗耶?’遂捐俸新之(zhi)(zhi)。”有史可查的(de)還(huan)有明(ming)(ming)永樂五(wu)年(1408)重修(xiu)三(san)(san)(san)(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);明(ming)(ming)嘉(jia)靖三(san)(san)(san)(san)(san)十(shi)(shi)(shi)五(wu)年(1556)道士方汝調、李(li)志升(sheng)重修(xiu)玉(yu)皇殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);倭寇陷(xian)城后(hou)的(de)明(ming)(ming)嘉(jia)靖四十(shi)(shi)(shi)三(san)(san)(san)(san)(san)年(1564)興化府知府易道談(tan)重建(jian)山門(men);明(ming)(ming)萬歷九年(1581)玉(yu)皇殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壞,次(ci)(ci)年鄉(xiang)賢林兆恩命(ming)人勸募重建(jian),并重修(xiu)了三(san)(san)(san)(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、東岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、文(wen)昌殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)和(he)福(fu)神殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);以后(hou)道士單茂喬又募建(jian)文(wen)昌宮、五(wu)顯廟。明(ming)(ming)崇(chong)禎十(shi)(shi)(shi)三(san)(san)(san)(san)(san)年(1640)又一(yi)次(ci)(ci)修(xiu)了三(san)(san)(san)(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),清(qing)(qing)(qing)嘉(jia)慶二(er)年(1797)翁廷璋重修(xiu)東岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(包括中殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、拜(bai)亭、兩廡和(he)山門(men));清(qing)(qing)(qing)咸豐年間(1851~1861)又一(yi)次(ci)(ci)重修(xiu)福(fu)神殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);清(qing)(qing)(qing)光緒年間(1875—1908)興化府同知楊萬清(qing)(qing)(qing)又一(yi)次(ci)(ci)大修(xiu)了三(san)(san)(san)(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);民國后(hou)除(chu)了重建(jian)九御殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)外,元(yuan)(yuan)妙(miao)觀其(qi)他建(jian)筑先(xian)后(hou)遭受破壞;1956年10月,文(wen)化部撥(bo)款重修(xiu)三(san)(san)(san)(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);近年國家(jia)文(wen)物(wu)局再(zai)次(ci)(ci)撥(bo)款大修(xiu)三(san)(san)(san)(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)及其(qi)附屬建(jian)筑物(wu)。