該(gai)閣建于(yu)明(ming)洪武年(nian)間,為(wei)3層重檐斗(dou)拱建筑(zhu),由36根高大(da)(da)的(de)圓(yuan)柱(zhu)支撐,頂(ding)部(bu)全是(shi)梁架(jia)半(ban)拱,漸次往上收(shou)攏成八(ba)卦形,至(zhi)(zhi)屋頂(ding)為(wei)太極圖。屋頂(ding)系金黃琉璃瓦鋪就,外觀飛檐翅角,看(kan)(kan)上去端莊大(da)(da)方(fang),氣勢雄偉(wei)。樓內有(you)精美的(de)壁畫,泥塑和浮雕,樓前(qian)有(you)兩(liang)亭一臺,還有(you)3棵枝繁葉(xie)茂的(de)大(da)(da)青樹,旁(pang)邊有(you)太清(qing)仙境、玄帝觀、文昌宮(gong)等建筑(zhu),為(wei)保山的(de)八(ba)景之一。十(shi)分(fen)玄妙的(de)是(shi),玉皇閣的(de)第二(er)層掛(gua)有(you)一塊匾,從(cong)正面看(kan)(kan)是(shi) “至(zhi)(zhi)誠無息”朱黃色(se)大(da)(da)字;從(cong)左邊看(kan)(kan)是(shi)“龍飛鳳舞”紅綠(lv)色(se)大(da)(da)字;從(cong)右邊看(kan)(kan)則(ze)是(shi)“海晏河清(qing)”褐(he)紅色(se)大(da)(da)字,實為(wei)奇中之奇,至(zhi)(zhi)今無人能(neng)說得清(qing)其(qi)中的(de)奧妙,充分(fen)反映了(le)古代(dai)勞動人民的(de)聰明(ming)才智。
據《永昌府志(zhi)》載,玉(yu)皇(huang)閣(ge)為(wei)(wei)(wei)明嘉靖二十(shi)(shi)四(si)(si)年(nian)(公元(yuan)1545年(nian))郡人(ren)(ren)馮(feng)君魯在原毗盧閣(ge)廢址上(shang)所建,現(xian)存大(da)(da)(da)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)及大(da)(da)(da)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)前丹(dan)墀兩(liang)側(ce)之鐘(zhong)(zhong)鼓二亭。大(da)(da)(da)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)矗立在鑲(xiang)嵌青石浮(fu)雕(diao)(diao)的高(gao)臺(tai)基(ji)座上(shang),基(ji)座平面(mian)401平方(fang)米,高(gao)闊(kuo)方(fang)直,呈(cheng)灰青色(se)(se)調(diao),給人(ren)(ren)以素雅(ya)博大(da)(da)(da)之感。其上(shang)所承大(da)(da)(da)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)為(wei)(wei)(wei)三重檐(yan)歇山(shan)頂(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding),早先曾塑玉(yu)皇(huang)金身座像和(he)四(si)(si)大(da)(da)(da)真人(ren)(ren)巨(ju)型立像。大(da)(da)(da)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)面(mian)闊(kuo)5間(jian),23米;進深5間(jian),17米。下有六(liu)六(liu)三十(shi)(shi)六(liu)根大(da)(da)(da)柱舉架(jia)支(zhi)撐(cheng),中柱通高(gao)13.6米。明間(jian)和(he)次(ci)間(jian)之間(jian)采(cai)用(yong)移柱法(fa)將中柱后(hou)移,以擴寬殿(dian)(dian)(dian)堂中央(yang)空(kong)間(jian);穹頂(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)呈(cheng)覆(fu)斗形八卦藻井,頂(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)面(mian)繪太極圖;殿(dian)(dian)(dian)內(nei)(nei)壁(bi)畫飄(piao)逸多姿(zi),一派(pai)仙家(jia)氣象;格(ge)子門(men)勻(yun)雕(diao)(diao)有動物、花卉,空(kong)靈娟秀。殿(dian)(dian)(dian)頂(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)通覆(fu)黃(huang)色(se)(se)琉璃(li)瓦,正(zheng)脊飾以寶頂(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)、禽獸(shou)、鴟吻,垂脊亦(yi)作(zuo)花飾、尾(wei)吻,四(si)(si)角懸(xuan)以風鈴。三重檐(yan)下均懸(xuan)巨(ju)匾,尤其是二層檐(yan)口懸(xuan)掛的四(si)(si)塊木質浮(fu)雕(diao)(diao)彩繪的單字(zi)(zi)匾引人(ren)(ren)注(zhu)目,正(zheng)視為(wei)(wei)(wei)“至誠無息”四(si)(si)個(ge)朱黃(huang)大(da)(da)(da)字(zi)(zi),右(you)側(ce)(北(bei))視為(wei)(wei)(wei)“龍飛鳳(feng)舞”四(si)(si)個(ge)紅(hong)(hong)綠(lv)色(se)(se)大(da)(da)(da)字(zi)(zi),左側(ce)(南(nan))視為(wei)(wei)(wei)“諸神參天(tian)”四(si)(si)個(ge)紅(hong)(hong)褐色(se)(se)大(da)(da)(da)字(zi)(zi),一匾而三用(yong),建筑師匠心獨(du)運(yun),由此可見(jian)一斑。殿(dian)(dian)(dian)前兩(liang)側(ce)為(wei)(wei)(wei)鐘(zhong)(zhong)鼓二亭,昔時(shi)亭內(nei)(nei)懸(xuan)鐘(zhong)(zhong)架(jia)鼓,朝暮為(wei)(wei)(wei)聲;大(da)(da)(da)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)北(bei)鄰之會真樓(lou),為(wei)(wei)(wei)徐霞客當年(nian)游歷保山(shan)下榻處所。
云南保(bao)(bao)山(shan)太(tai)保(bao)(bao)山(shan)山(shan)門,太(tai)保(bao)(bao)山(shan)景(jing)區有(you)玉(yu)(yu)皇閣(ge)、玉(yu)(yu)佛殿、角亭龍雕、山(shan)頂(ding)戲樓、山(shan)頂(ding)武侯祠(ci)、石楠樹(shu)、印度榕、同心樹(shu)、二(er)十四(si)節氣石刻等景(jing)點。玉(yu)(yu)皇閣(ge)位(wei)于太(tai)保(bao)(bao)山(shan)山(shan)門不(bu)遠處(chu),緊鄰玉(yu)(yu)佛殿,始建(jian)于明代,經歷代修葺建(jian)設終成今天的(de)規模。保(bao)(bao)山(shan)太(tai)保(bao)(bao)山(shan)玉(yu)(yu)皇閣(ge)有(you)麒麟、鐘鼓亭、金鑾(luan)寶殿、山(shan)神殿、三官殿等景(jing)點。其莊嚴超拔的(de)氣勢(shi)、精妙至極的(de)建(jian)筑(zhu)工(gong)藝令人贊(zan)嘆,可(ke)謂古“西南絲綢之路”重(zhong)鎮一顆光耀奪目的(de)古建(jian)筑(zhu)瑰寶。玉(yu)(yu)皇閣(ge)曾經是保(bao)(bao)山(shan)市博(bo)物館所在地。后改為宗教(jiao)活動(dong)場所,現為隆陽區道協所在地。 2006年05月25日,保(bao)(bao)山(shan)玉(yu)(yu)皇閣(ge)作為明代古建(jian)筑(zhu),被國(guo)務院批(pi)準列(lie)入第六批(pi)全(quan)國(guo)重(zhong)點文物保(bao)(bao)護(hu)單(dan)(dan)位(wei)名單(dan)(dan)。