位于盤門(men)內東大(da)街(jie)11號,1956年被列為江蘇(su)省文物保護單位,現由蘇(su)州市文物管理(li)委員會(hui)保護管理(li)。
開(kai)(kai)元(yuan)寺(si)(si)初(chu)名(ming)通(tong)玄(xuan)寺(si)(si),三國(guo)東吳赤烏年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)間孫(sun)權為乳母(mu)陳(chen)氏所建。隋(sui)開(kai)(kai)皇九年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(589年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))吳縣令(ling)孫(sun)寬廢寺(si)(si),唐貞觀二(er)(er)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(628年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))僧慧重(zhong)(zhong)興。開(kai)(kai)元(yuan)二(er)(er)十六(liu)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(738年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))詔(zhao)令(ling)改名(ming)。大(da)順二(er)(er)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(891年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)),孫(sun)儒占據蘇州,開(kai)(kai)元(yuan)寺(si)(si)被付之一(yi)炬(ju)。五代后唐同光三年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(925年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)),吳越(yue)錢氏遷建開(kai)(kai)元(yuan)寺(si)(si)于(yu)盤門內現(xian)址。宋至明屢經廢興。清咸(xian)豐十年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1860年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))又(you)毀于(yu)兵火,同治(zhi)十二(er)(er)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1873年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))稍事重(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu),未復(fu)舊觀。無梁殿(dian)(dian)(dian)是開(kai)(kai)元(yuan)寺(si)(si)現(xian)在僅存的一(yi)座(zuo)古(gu)建筑(zhu)無梁殿(dian)(dian)(dian)即藏經閣,建于(yu)明萬歷四十六(liu)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1618年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))。原先供(gong)奉無量壽佛,又(you)名(ming)無量殿(dian)(dian)(dian);又(you)以純為磨(mo)磚嵌縫縱橫拱券結構,不用木構梁柱檁椽,故習稱無梁殿(dian)(dian)(dian)。
開元(yuan)寺無(wu)梁殿是江蘇省現存五座(zuo)無(wu)梁殿中(zhong)建遲、制(zhi)作(zuo)精的(de)(de)一(yi)座(zuo)。殿坐北朝南,兩(liang)層樓閣(ge)式,面闊七間(jian)(jian),寬20.9米(mi),進深11.2米(mi),通(tong)高約(yue)19米(mi)。歇(xie)山(shan)頂(ding)及腰檐(yan)(yan)敷綠間(jian)(jian)黃琉璃筒瓦,與清水磚外墻(qiang)面相映成趣。正(zheng)面上(shang)下(xia)(xia)各有半圓磚倚柱6根,下(xia)(xia)置(zhi)雕(diao)花須彌座(zuo),轉角用垂蓮柱。正(zheng)面正(zheng)中(zhong)開拱(gong)門三個,左(zuo)右各置(zhi)拱(gong)形(xing)窗(chuang)(chuang),在(zai)上(shang)層相對位置(zhi)開拱(gong)形(xing)窗(chuang)(chuang)5個,明(ming)間(jian)(jian)是明(ming)窗(chuang)(chuang),其余是假窗(chuang)(chuang)。柱間(jian)(jian)有刻(ke)南無(wu)阿彌陀佛的(de)(de)華版及大小枋子。明(ming)間(jian)(jian)檐(yan)(yan)下(xia)(xia)是磚制(zhi)斜拱(gong),上(shang)泵副檐(yan)(yan)。繞有雕(diao)刻(ke)的(de)(de)平座(zuo)欄桿,圖(tu)案十分典雅,而(er)且雕(diao)工精細,宛如一(yi)件(jian)杰出的(de)(de)工藝品。
殿內(nei)上(shang)下(xia)層各(ge)分為(wei)三大間,用縱橫磚砌卷筒(tong)結構(gou),置扶梯于左面側墻(qiang)內(nei)。原(yuan)先(xian)樓上(shang)藏(zang)經,樓下(xia)供(gong)佛。二(er)層明間采用斗拱(gong)承托八(ba)角形的磚制藻(zao)井(jing)的穹窿(long)結構(gou),四(si)壁鑲嵌明代(dai)章藻(zao)手書《梵綱經》、《華(hua)嚴(yan)經》石刻。殿頂及腰(yao)檐(yan)覆蓋綠、黃二(er)色琉璃(li)瓦、與青磚墻(qiang)面組成和(he)諧(xie)(xie)的色調。正脊飾以琉璃(li)游龍,戧角雕塑四(si)大天(tian)王立像。建筑(zhu)無(wu)不工細(xi)精巧,于宏偉莊重中(zhong)(zhong)寓玲瓏華(hua)麗之(zhi)美,堪稱明代(dai)建筑(zhu)精品。這(zhe)座無(wu)梁(liang)殿在莊嚴(yan)中(zhong)(zhong)顯現(xian)出玲瓏秀麗之(zhi)姿,充分反(fan)映了(le)古老蘇州的建筑(zhu)藝術在明代(dai)已達到一個相(xiang)當完美和(he)諧(xie)(xie)的境界,故有“結構(gou)雄杰冠江南”之(zhi)譽。現(xian)為(wei)第(di)七批全國重點文物保護單(dan)位。