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)(nian)(公元628年(nian)(nian)),以后歷(li)代曾經(jing)過(guo)多次修(xiu)葺。大(da)殿(dian)為重檐歇山頂式建(jian)筑(zhu),面闊(kuo)7間(jian)(jian),進深6間(jian)(jian),結構嚴謹簡樸(pu)。殿(dian)內有木石接(jie)續(xu)的大(da)柱(zhu)20根,每(mei)根直(zhi)徑約54厘(li)米,柱(zhu)頭(tou)微具卷殺,柱(zhu)礎呈(cheng)(cheng)蓮花覆盆形(xing)。斗(dou)拱碩大(da),斗(dou)底(di)呈(cheng)(cheng)皿板形(xing),高(gao)1.5厘(li)米。斗(dou)拱和椽檁之間(jian)(jian)有彩(cai)繪的道教(jiao)圖案,整(zheng)座(zuo)殿(dian)堂保存有濃郁的宋代建(jian)筑(zhu)風格。元妙觀三清(qing)殿對于研究宋代的建筑、彩繪藝術等方面,具(ju)有重要意義。
該殿宋代(dai)稱(cheng)天慶(qing)觀,元(yuan)明易名為玄妙(miao)觀,清(qing)避(bi)康熙皇帝玄燁諱而改為元(yuan)妙(miao)觀。宋邑人李(li)俊甫在(zai)《莆(pu)陽比事》中稱(cheng)“天慶(qing)觀三殿宏麗,甲于八郡”,寥(liao)寥(liao)筆(bi)墨點(dian)畫出了當(dang)時該建筑(zhu)群中以三清(qing)殿為主的三殿在(zai)宋代(dai)我省(sheng)建筑(zhu)中的
鶴立(li)地位。整座道觀原建筑規模宏大(da),布局對稱嚴(yan)謹,主次分明(ming)。縱(zong)中軸(zhou)線上依次為山門、三(san)清殿、玉(yu)皇(huang)殿(又名通明(ming)殿)、九御(yu)殿、四官殿、文(wen)昌(chang)殿,與三(san)清殿橫向并(bing)列的(de)東有(you)五(wu)(wu)帝(di)廟(miao)(miao)(miao)、東岳(yue)(yue)殿,西(xi)有(you)五(wu)(wu)顯(xian)廟(miao)(miao)(miao)、西(xi)岳(yue)(yue)殿、文(wen)昌(chang)祠;同玉(yu)皇(huang)殿橫向并(bing)列的(de)東有(you)林忠(zhong)烈(lie)祠,西(xi)為關(guan)帝(di)廟(miao)(miao)(miao)和福神殿。今尚存山門、三(san)清殿、東岳(yue)(yue)殿、西(xi)岳(yue)(yue)殿、文(wen)昌(chang)祠、五(wu)(wu)帝(di)廟(miao)(miao)(miao),五(wu)(wu)顯(xian)廟(miao)(miao)(miao)及(ji)關(guan)帝(di)廟(miao)(miao)(miao)大(da)門等(deng)。
從三(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)脊檁的墨(mo)書上可(ke)知(zhi),三(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)始建(jian)于(yu)唐貞觀(guan)二年(nian)(628),宋大(da)中(zhong)祥(xiang)符八年(nian)(1015)重(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)。《莆陽比事》載:“元(yuan)(yuan)佑(you)間雷擊殿(dian)(dian)(dian),鴟吻(wen)墮,內得(de)黑木板,文曰(yue)(yue):‘后(hou)八十年(nian)狄覺奴來守此邦重(zhong)易(yi)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)屋。’主者以(yi)(yi)(yi)聞,郡守狄明(ming)遠視(shi)之嘆曰(yue)(yue):‘吾(wu)小字也,以(yi)(yi)(yi)年(nian)計之,吾(wu)猶未生,何其驗(yan)耶?’遂捐俸(feng)新之。”有史可(ke)查的還(huan)有明(ming)永樂五(wu)年(nian)(1408)重(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)三(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian);明(ming)嘉靖三(san)十五(wu)年(nian)(1556)道(dao)士方汝調、李(li)志升(sheng)重(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)玉(yu)皇(huang)(huang)殿(dian)(dian)(dian);倭寇(kou)陷(xian)城后(hou)的明(ming)嘉靖四(si)十三(san)年(nian)(1564)興(xing)化(hua)府知(zhi)府易(yi)道(dao)談重(zhong)建(jian)山門(men);明(ming)萬(wan)歷九年(nian)(1581)玉(yu)皇(huang)(huang)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)壞,次年(nian)鄉(xiang)賢林兆恩命人(ren)勸募重(zhong)建(jian),并重(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)了三(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、東岳殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、文昌殿(dian)(dian)(dian)和(he)福(fu)神(shen)殿(dian)(dian)(dian);以(yi)(yi)(yi)后(hou)道(dao)士單茂喬又募建(jian)文昌宮、五(wu)顯廟。明(ming)崇禎(zhen)十三(san)年(nian)(1640)又一次修(xiu)(xiu)了三(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian),清(qing)(qing)(qing)(qing)嘉慶二年(nian)(1797)翁(weng)廷璋(zhang)重(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)東岳殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(包(bao)括中(zhong)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、拜(bai)亭(ting)、兩廡(wu)和(he)山門(men));清(qing)(qing)(qing)(qing)咸豐(feng)年(nian)間(1851~1861)又一次重(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)福(fu)神(shen)殿(dian)(dian)(dian);清(qing)(qing)(qing)(qing)光緒年(nian)間(1875—1908)興(xing)化(hua)府同知(zhi)楊萬(wan)清(qing)(qing)(qing)(qing)又一次大(da)修(xiu)(xiu)了三(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian);民國(guo)后(hou)除(chu)了重(zhong)建(jian)九御殿(dian)(dian)(dian)外(wai),元(yuan)(yuan)妙觀(guan)其他建(jian)筑(zhu)先后(hou)遭受破(po)壞;1956年(nian)10月,文化(hua)部撥款重(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)三(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian);近年(nian)國(guo)家文物(wu)局再次撥款大(da)修(xiu)(xiu)三(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)及(ji)其附屬建(jian)筑(zhu)物(wu)。