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(duo)次修葺。大殿(dian)(dian)為重檐(yan)歇山頂式建筑,面闊(kuo)7間(jian),進深6間(jian),結構嚴謹簡樸。殿(dian)(dian)內有木石(shi)接續的(de)大柱(zhu)(zhu)20根,每根直徑約54厘(li)米,柱(zhu)(zhu)頭(tou)微(wei)具(ju)卷(juan)殺,柱(zhu)(zhu)礎呈蓮花覆盆形(xing)。斗(dou)拱碩大,斗(dou)底(di)呈皿板形(xing),高(gao)1.5厘(li)米。斗(dou)拱和椽檁之間(jian)有彩繪的(de)道教圖案,整(zheng)座殿(dian)(dian)堂保存(cun)有濃郁的(de)宋代(dai)建筑風格(ge)。元妙觀三清(qing)殿(dian)對于研究宋(song)代(dai)的建(jian)筑、彩繪藝術等方(fang)面,具有重要意義。
該殿(dian)宋(song)(song)代稱天慶觀(guan),元明易名為玄妙觀(guan),清(qing)避康熙皇帝玄燁(ye)諱而改為元妙觀(guan)。宋(song)(song)邑人(ren)李俊(jun)甫在(zai)《莆(pu)陽比事》中(zhong)稱“天慶觀(guan)三(san)(san)殿(dian)宏(hong)麗,甲于八郡”,寥寥筆墨點畫出了當時該建筑群中(zhong)以三(san)(san)清(qing)殿(dian)為主的三(san)(san)殿(dian)在(zai)宋(song)(song)代我省(sheng)建筑中(zhong)的
鶴立地位。整座道觀原建筑(zhu)規模宏大,布局對(dui)稱嚴謹,主次分明。縱(zong)中軸線(xian)上(shang)依次為山(shan)門(men)、三清(qing)殿(dian)、玉皇殿(dian)(又名通(tong)明殿(dian))、九御殿(dian)、四官殿(dian)、文(wen)昌殿(dian),與三清(qing)殿(dian)橫(heng)向(xiang)并列(lie)的東(dong)有五(wu)帝廟(miao)、東(dong)岳(yue)(yue)殿(dian),西(xi)有五(wu)顯廟(miao)、西(xi)岳(yue)(yue)殿(dian)、文(wen)昌祠;同玉皇殿(dian)橫(heng)向(xiang)并列(lie)的東(dong)有林忠烈祠,西(xi)為關帝廟(miao)和福(fu)神殿(dian)。今尚存山(shan)門(men)、三清(qing)殿(dian)、東(dong)岳(yue)(yue)殿(dian)、西(xi)岳(yue)(yue)殿(dian)、文(wen)昌祠、五(wu)帝廟(miao),五(wu)顯廟(miao)及關帝廟(miao)大門(men)等。
從三清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)脊檁的(de)墨書上(shang)可知(zhi)(zhi),三清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)始建于(yu)唐貞觀二(er)年(nian)(nian)(628),宋大中祥符八(ba)年(nian)(nian)(1015)重(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)。《莆陽比(bi)事》載:“元(yuan)佑間雷擊(ji)殿(dian),鴟吻(wen)墮,內(nei)得黑木板,文(wen)(wen)曰:‘后(hou)(hou)(hou)(hou)八(ba)十(shi)年(nian)(nian)狄覺奴來守此邦(bang)重(zhong)易殿(dian)屋。’主者(zhe)以聞,郡守狄明(ming)(ming)遠視之嘆曰:‘吾小字(zi)也(ye),以年(nian)(nian)計之,吾猶未生,何其驗耶?’遂捐(juan)俸新之。”有史可查的(de)還有明(ming)(ming)永樂五(wu)年(nian)(nian)(1408)重(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)三清(qing)(qing)殿(dian);明(ming)(ming)嘉(jia)靖三十(shi)五(wu)年(nian)(nian)(1556)道(dao)(dao)士(shi)方汝(ru)調、李志升重(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)玉(yu)(yu)皇殿(dian);倭寇陷城后(hou)(hou)(hou)(hou)的(de)明(ming)(ming)嘉(jia)靖四十(shi)三年(nian)(nian)(1564)興化(hua)府知(zhi)(zhi)府易道(dao)(dao)談重(zhong)建山門(men);明(ming)(ming)萬歷九(jiu)(jiu)年(nian)(nian)(1581)玉(yu)(yu)皇殿(dian)壞(huai),次(ci)年(nian)(nian)鄉賢(xian)林兆恩(en)命人(ren)勸(quan)募(mu)重(zhong)建,并(bing)重(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)了(le)三清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)、東(dong)岳殿(dian)、文(wen)(wen)昌殿(dian)和(he)(he)福神(shen)殿(dian);以后(hou)(hou)(hou)(hou)道(dao)(dao)士(shi)單茂(mao)喬又(you)(you)募(mu)建文(wen)(wen)昌宮(gong)、五(wu)顯(xian)廟。明(ming)(ming)崇禎十(shi)三年(nian)(nian)(1640)又(you)(you)一(yi)(yi)次(ci)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)了(le)三清(qing)(qing)殿(dian),清(qing)(qing)嘉(jia)慶二(er)年(nian)(nian)(1797)翁廷璋重(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)東(dong)岳殿(dian)(包括(kuo)中殿(dian)、拜亭、兩廡和(he)(he)山門(men));清(qing)(qing)咸豐(feng)年(nian)(nian)間(1851~1861)又(you)(you)一(yi)(yi)次(ci)重(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)福神(shen)殿(dian);清(qing)(qing)光(guang)緒年(nian)(nian)間(1875—1908)興化(hua)府同知(zhi)(zhi)楊萬清(qing)(qing)又(you)(you)一(yi)(yi)次(ci)大修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)了(le)三清(qing)(qing)殿(dian);民(min)國后(hou)(hou)(hou)(hou)除了(le)重(zhong)建九(jiu)(jiu)御殿(dian)外,元(yuan)妙觀其他建筑先后(hou)(hou)(hou)(hou)遭受(shou)破壞(huai);1956年(nian)(nian)10月(yue),文(wen)(wen)化(hua)部(bu)撥款(kuan)重(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)三清(qing)(qing)殿(dian);近年(nian)(nian)國家文(wen)(wen)物局再次(ci)撥款(kuan)大修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)三清(qing)(qing)殿(dian)及其附屬建筑物。