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(yuan)628年),以(yi)后歷代曾經過多次(ci)修葺。大殿為重檐歇山頂式建筑,面闊7間,進深6間,結構嚴謹(jin)簡(jian)樸。殿內有(you)木石接續的(de)大柱(zhu)(zhu)20根,每根直徑約54厘米,柱(zhu)(zhu)頭微(wei)具卷殺(sha),柱(zhu)(zhu)礎(chu)呈蓮花覆盆形。斗拱(gong)碩(shuo)大,斗底(di)呈皿板形,高1.5厘米。斗拱(gong)和椽檁(lin)之(zhi)間有(you)彩繪的(de)道教(jiao)圖案,整座殿堂保存(cun)有(you)濃(nong)郁的(de)宋代建筑風格。元妙觀(guan)三清(qing)殿對(dui)于研究(jiu)宋代的建(jian)筑、彩(cai)繪(hui)藝術等(deng)方面,具有重要意義。
該殿宋代稱(cheng)天慶觀,元明易名為玄妙觀,清避(bi)康熙(xi)皇(huang)帝玄燁諱(hui)而改為元妙觀。宋邑人李(li)俊甫在(zai)《莆陽(yang)比事》中(zhong)稱(cheng)“天慶觀三(san)殿宏麗,甲于八郡”,寥寥筆(bi)墨點畫出(chu)了(le)當時該建筑(zhu)群中(zhong)以三(san)清殿為主的三(san)殿在(zai)宋代我省建筑(zhu)中(zhong)的
鶴立地(di)位。整座道觀原建筑規模(mo)宏(hong)大,布局對稱嚴(yan)謹,主次分明。縱中軸線(xian)上依次為山(shan)門、三(san)清(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、玉皇殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(又名通明殿(dian)(dian)(dian))、九御殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、四官殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、文昌殿(dian)(dian)(dian),與三(san)清(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)橫(heng)向并(bing)(bing)列的東(dong)有五帝廟(miao)、東(dong)岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)(dian),西有五顯廟(miao)、西岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、文昌祠;同玉皇殿(dian)(dian)(dian)橫(heng)向并(bing)(bing)列的東(dong)有林忠烈祠,西為關帝廟(miao)和福神殿(dian)(dian)(dian)。今(jin)尚存山(shan)門、三(san)清(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、東(dong)岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、西岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、文昌祠、五帝廟(miao),五顯廟(miao)及關帝廟(miao)大門等。
從(cong)三(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)脊檁(lin)的墨書上可知(zhi)(zhi),三(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)始(shi)建(jian)于(yu)唐貞觀二年(nian)(628),宋大中祥符(fu)八年(nian)(1015)重修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)。《莆陽比事》載:“元佑間(jian)雷擊殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),鴟(chi)吻墮(duo),內得(de)黑木板(ban),文曰:‘后(hou)(hou)八十(shi)年(nian)狄覺奴來守此邦重易(yi)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)屋(wu)。’主(zhu)者以(yi)聞,郡守狄明(ming)遠視之(zhi)嘆曰:‘吾小字也(ye),以(yi)年(nian)計之(zhi),吾猶未生,何(he)其驗耶?’遂捐俸新之(zhi)。”有(you)史可查的還有(you)明(ming)永樂五年(nian)(1408)重修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)三(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);明(ming)嘉靖三(san)十(shi)五年(nian)(1556)道士方(fang)汝調(diao)、李志升(sheng)重修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)玉皇(huang)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);倭寇陷城后(hou)(hou)的明(ming)嘉靖四十(shi)三(san)年(nian)(1564)興化(hua)府(fu)知(zhi)(zhi)府(fu)易(yi)道談重建(jian)山門(men);明(ming)萬歷九年(nian)(1581)玉皇(huang)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壞,次(ci)年(nian)鄉(xiang)賢林(lin)兆恩命人勸募重建(jian),并重修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)了三(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、東岳殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、文昌殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)和(he)福(fu)神殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);以(yi)后(hou)(hou)道士單茂喬(qiao)又募建(jian)文昌宮、五顯(xian)廟。明(ming)崇禎十(shi)三(san)年(nian)(1640)又一次(ci)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)了三(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),清(qing)(qing)(qing)嘉慶二年(nian)(1797)翁廷璋重修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)東岳殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(包括中殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、拜(bai)亭、兩(liang)廡和(he)山門(men));清(qing)(qing)(qing)咸豐(feng)年(nian)間(jian)(1851~1861)又一次(ci)重修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)福(fu)神殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);清(qing)(qing)(qing)光緒年(nian)間(jian)(1875—1908)興化(hua)府(fu)同知(zhi)(zhi)楊萬清(qing)(qing)(qing)又一次(ci)大修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)了三(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);民國(guo)后(hou)(hou)除了重建(jian)九御(yu)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)外,元妙觀其他建(jian)筑先(xian)后(hou)(hou)遭受破壞;1956年(nian)10月,文化(hua)部撥款(kuan)重修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)三(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);近年(nian)國(guo)家文物(wu)局再次(ci)撥款(kuan)大修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)三(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)及其附屬建(jian)筑物(wu)。