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628年),以后歷代(dai)曾(ceng)經過多次修葺。大殿(dian)為重檐歇山頂式(shi)建筑,面闊7間,進(jin)深6間,結構嚴謹(jin)簡(jian)樸(pu)。殿(dian)內有(you)木石接續的(de)大柱(zhu)20根(gen),每根(gen)直徑約54厘米(mi),柱(zhu)頭(tou)微(wei)具(ju)卷(juan)殺(sha),柱(zhu)礎呈(cheng)蓮花(hua)覆盆形(xing)。斗(dou)拱(gong)碩大,斗(dou)底(di)呈(cheng)皿板形(xing),高1.5厘米(mi)。斗(dou)拱(gong)和椽檁之間有(you)彩繪的(de)道教圖案,整座殿(dian)堂保(bao)存有(you)濃(nong)郁的(de)宋代(dai)建筑風格。元(yuan)妙觀三清(qing)殿對于(yu)研究(jiu)宋代的(de)建筑、彩繪藝術(shu)等方面,具有(you)重要意義。
該殿宋代稱(cheng)天慶觀(guan)(guan),元明易名為(wei)玄(xuan)妙觀(guan)(guan),清避康熙皇(huang)帝(di)玄(xuan)燁(ye)諱而(er)改為(wei)元妙觀(guan)(guan)。宋邑(yi)人(ren)李俊甫在《莆(pu)陽(yang)比事》中稱(cheng)“天慶觀(guan)(guan)三殿宏麗,甲于八郡”,寥寥筆(bi)墨點(dian)畫出了當(dang)時該建筑(zhu)群(qun)中以三清殿為(wei)主的三殿在宋代我省(sheng)建筑(zhu)中的
鶴立(li)地位。整座道觀原建筑規模宏大,布局對(dui)稱嚴謹,主次分明。縱中軸線上(shang)依次為山門、三(san)清殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、玉皇殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(又(you)名(ming)通明殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian))、九御殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、四官殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、文昌(chang)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),與三(san)清殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)橫(heng)向并(bing)列的東有(you)五(wu)(wu)帝(di)(di)廟(miao)(miao)、東岳殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),西(xi)有(you)五(wu)(wu)顯廟(miao)(miao)、西(xi)岳殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、文昌(chang)祠;同玉皇殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)橫(heng)向并(bing)列的東有(you)林忠烈祠,西(xi)為關帝(di)(di)廟(miao)(miao)和福(fu)神殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)。今尚(shang)存山門、三(san)清殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、東岳殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、西(xi)岳殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、文昌(chang)祠、五(wu)(wu)帝(di)(di)廟(miao)(miao),五(wu)(wu)顯廟(miao)(miao)及關帝(di)(di)廟(miao)(miao)大門等。
從三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)脊檁的(de)墨(mo)書上可(ke)知(zhi),三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)始(shi)建(jian)(jian)于唐貞觀二年(nian)(628),宋大(da)中祥符八年(nian)(1015)重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)。《莆陽比(bi)事(shi)》載:“元佑間(jian)雷擊殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),鴟(chi)吻墮,內得黑木板,文(wen)(wen)曰(yue)(yue):‘后(hou)八十(shi)年(nian)狄覺奴來守此邦重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)易(yi)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)屋。’主者以聞,郡守狄明(ming)遠視之(zhi)嘆(tan)曰(yue)(yue):‘吾(wu)小字(zi)也,以年(nian)計之(zhi),吾(wu)猶未生,何其(qi)驗耶(ye)?’遂捐俸新之(zhi)。”有史可(ke)查的(de)還有明(ming)永樂五年(nian)(1408)重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);明(ming)嘉靖三(san)(san)十(shi)五年(nian)(1556)道(dao)(dao)士方汝調、李志升重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)玉皇殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);倭寇陷城后(hou)的(de)明(ming)嘉靖四(si)十(shi)三(san)(san)年(nian)(1564)興化府(fu)知(zhi)府(fu)易(yi)道(dao)(dao)談(tan)重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)建(jian)(jian)山門;明(ming)萬歷九年(nian)(1581)玉皇殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壞(huai),次(ci)(ci)年(nian)鄉賢林兆恩命人勸(quan)募(mu)重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)建(jian)(jian),并重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)了(le)三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、東(dong)岳殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、文(wen)(wen)昌(chang)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)和福(fu)神殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);以后(hou)道(dao)(dao)士單茂(mao)喬又(you)募(mu)建(jian)(jian)文(wen)(wen)昌(chang)宮(gong)、五顯廟。明(ming)崇禎十(shi)三(san)(san)年(nian)(1640)又(you)一(yi)次(ci)(ci)修(xiu)了(le)三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),清(qing)(qing)嘉慶二年(nian)(1797)翁廷璋(zhang)重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)東(dong)岳殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(包括中殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、拜亭、兩廡和山門);清(qing)(qing)咸(xian)豐年(nian)間(jian)(1851~1861)又(you)一(yi)次(ci)(ci)重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)福(fu)神殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);清(qing)(qing)光緒年(nian)間(jian)(1875—1908)興化府(fu)同知(zhi)楊(yang)萬清(qing)(qing)又(you)一(yi)次(ci)(ci)大(da)修(xiu)了(le)三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);民國(guo)后(hou)除了(le)重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)建(jian)(jian)九御殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)外,元妙觀其(qi)他建(jian)(jian)筑先后(hou)遭受破壞(huai);1956年(nian)10月,文(wen)(wen)化部撥款重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);近年(nian)國(guo)家(jia)文(wen)(wen)物(wu)局(ju)再次(ci)(ci)撥款大(da)修(xiu)三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)及其(qi)附(fu)屬建(jian)(jian)筑物(wu)。