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(yi)后歷代(dai)曾(ceng)經過多次修(xiu)葺。大殿(dian)為重檐歇(xie)山頂式建筑,面闊(kuo)7間,進(jin)深(shen)6間,結(jie)構嚴謹(jin)簡樸。殿(dian)內有(you)(you)木石(shi)接續(xu)的大柱20根,每根直徑(jing)約54厘米(mi),柱頭微具卷殺,柱礎呈蓮(lian)花覆盆形。斗(dou)拱碩(shuo)大,斗(dou)底呈皿板形,高1.5厘米(mi)。斗(dou)拱和(he)椽檁之(zhi)間有(you)(you)彩繪(hui)的道教圖(tu)案,整座(zuo)殿(dian)堂保存有(you)(you)濃郁的宋代(dai)建筑風格。元妙(miao)觀三清殿對于研究宋(song)代的建筑(zhu)、彩繪藝術等(deng)方面,具有重要(yao)意義。
該殿宋代稱天慶(qing)觀,元(yuan)明(ming)易名為(wei)玄妙觀,清避康熙(xi)皇(huang)帝玄燁諱而改為(wei)元(yuan)妙觀。宋邑人(ren)李(li)俊甫在《莆陽比事》中(zhong)稱“天慶(qing)觀三(san)殿宏麗,甲(jia)于八郡”,寥寥筆墨(mo)點(dian)畫出了當時(shi)該建(jian)筑群中(zhong)以三(san)清殿為(wei)主(zhu)的(de)三(san)殿在宋代我省建(jian)筑中(zhong)的(de)
鶴立地位。整座道(dao)觀原(yuan)建(jian)筑(zhu)規模宏大,布局對(dui)稱嚴謹,主次分明。縱中軸線上依(yi)次為(wei)山門(men)、三(san)清殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、玉(yu)皇(huang)(huang)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(又名(ming)通(tong)明殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian))、九御殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、四(si)官殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、文(wen)昌殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),與(yu)三(san)清殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)橫(heng)向并列的(de)東(dong)有五(wu)(wu)帝廟(miao)(miao)、東(dong)岳殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),西有五(wu)(wu)顯(xian)廟(miao)(miao)、西岳殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、文(wen)昌祠(ci);同(tong)玉(yu)皇(huang)(huang)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)橫(heng)向并列的(de)東(dong)有林(lin)忠烈祠(ci),西為(wei)關帝廟(miao)(miao)和(he)福神殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)。今尚(shang)存(cun)山門(men)、三(san)清殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、東(dong)岳殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、西岳殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、文(wen)昌祠(ci)、五(wu)(wu)帝廟(miao)(miao),五(wu)(wu)顯(xian)廟(miao)(miao)及關帝廟(miao)(miao)大門(men)等。
從(cong)三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)脊檁的墨書上可知(zhi),三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)始建于(yu)唐貞觀二年(nian)(nian)(628),宋大(da)中(zhong)祥符八年(nian)(nian)(1015)重(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)。《莆陽比事(shi)》載:“元佑間(jian)雷擊殿(dian)(dian)(dian),鴟(chi)吻墮,內得黑木板,文曰(yue):‘后八十年(nian)(nian)狄覺奴(nu)來(lai)守(shou)此邦重(zhong)(zhong)易(yi)(yi)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)屋。’主者以(yi)聞,郡(jun)守(shou)狄明(ming)(ming)遠視之(zhi)嘆曰(yue):‘吾小字也,以(yi)年(nian)(nian)計之(zhi),吾猶未生(sheng),何其驗耶?’遂捐俸新之(zhi)。”有史可查的還有明(ming)(ming)永(yong)樂(le)五年(nian)(nian)(1408)重(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian);明(ming)(ming)嘉靖三(san)(san)十五年(nian)(nian)(1556)道(dao)士方汝調、李志(zhi)升重(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)玉皇殿(dian)(dian)(dian);倭寇陷城后的明(ming)(ming)嘉靖四(si)十三(san)(san)年(nian)(nian)(1564)興(xing)化(hua)府(fu)(fu)知(zhi)府(fu)(fu)易(yi)(yi)道(dao)談重(zhong)(zhong)建山門;明(ming)(ming)萬(wan)(wan)歷(li)九年(nian)(nian)(1581)玉皇殿(dian)(dian)(dian)壞,次(ci)年(nian)(nian)鄉賢林(lin)兆恩命人勸募(mu)(mu)重(zhong)(zhong)建,并重(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)了三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、東(dong)岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、文昌(chang)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)和福神殿(dian)(dian)(dian);以(yi)后道(dao)士單茂喬(qiao)又(you)(you)募(mu)(mu)建文昌(chang)宮、五顯廟。明(ming)(ming)崇禎十三(san)(san)年(nian)(nian)(1640)又(you)(you)一次(ci)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)了三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian),清(qing)(qing)嘉慶二年(nian)(nian)(1797)翁廷璋重(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)東(dong)岳(yue)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(包括中(zhong)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)、拜亭、兩廡和山門);清(qing)(qing)咸豐年(nian)(nian)間(jian)(1851~1861)又(you)(you)一次(ci)重(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)福神殿(dian)(dian)(dian);清(qing)(qing)光緒年(nian)(nian)間(jian)(1875—1908)興(xing)化(hua)府(fu)(fu)同知(zhi)楊萬(wan)(wan)清(qing)(qing)又(you)(you)一次(ci)大(da)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)了三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian);民國(guo)后除了重(zhong)(zhong)建九御(yu)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)外,元妙觀其他建筑先(xian)后遭(zao)受破壞;1956年(nian)(nian)10月,文化(hua)部撥款重(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian);近年(nian)(nian)國(guo)家(jia)文物局(ju)再(zai)次(ci)撥款大(da)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)三(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)及(ji)其附屬建筑物。