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)(公元628年(nian)),以后歷代(dai)曾(ceng)經過多次修葺。大殿(dian)為重檐歇山(shan)頂(ding)式建筑(zhu),面(mian)闊7間(jian),進深6間(jian),結構嚴謹簡樸。殿(dian)內有(you)木石接續的大柱20根(gen),每根(gen)直徑約54厘米,柱頭微(wei)具卷(juan)殺,柱礎呈蓮(lian)花覆盆(pen)形(xing)。斗拱(gong)碩大,斗底呈皿板形(xing),高1.5厘米。斗拱(gong)和(he)椽檁(lin)之間(jian)有(you)彩繪的道教圖案,整(zheng)座殿(dian)堂保存(cun)有(you)濃郁的宋代(dai)建筑(zhu)風(feng)格。元妙觀三清殿對于研究(jiu)宋(song)代的建筑、彩繪藝術等方面,具有重要意(yi)義。
該殿(dian)宋(song)(song)代稱(cheng)天慶觀(guan),元明易名為(wei)(wei)玄妙(miao)觀(guan),清避康熙(xi)皇帝玄燁諱而改為(wei)(wei)元妙(miao)觀(guan)。宋(song)(song)邑(yi)人李俊甫在《莆陽比事(shi)》中稱(cheng)“天慶觀(guan)三殿(dian)宏麗,甲于八郡(jun)”,寥寥筆墨點畫出了當時該建筑群中以(yi)三清殿(dian)為(wei)(wei)主的(de)三殿(dian)在宋(song)(song)代我省建筑中的(de)
鶴立(li)地位。整座道觀原建筑規模宏大(da),布局對(dui)稱嚴謹(jin),主次(ci)分明(ming)。縱中(zhong)軸線上依次(ci)為山門、三清殿、玉皇(huang)殿(又名通明(ming)殿)、九御殿、四官(guan)殿、文(wen)昌殿,與(yu)三清殿橫向(xiang)并列的東有五(wu)帝(di)廟(miao)、東岳(yue)殿,西(xi)有五(wu)顯(xian)廟(miao)、西(xi)岳(yue)殿、文(wen)昌祠(ci);同玉皇(huang)殿橫向(xiang)并列的東有林忠(zhong)烈祠(ci),西(xi)為關帝(di)廟(miao)和福(fu)神(shen)殿。今尚存山門、三清殿、東岳(yue)殿、西(xi)岳(yue)殿、文(wen)昌祠(ci)、五(wu)帝(di)廟(miao),五(wu)顯(xian)廟(miao)及關帝(di)廟(miao)大(da)門等。
從三(san)(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)脊檁(lin)的(de)墨書上可知(zhi),三(san)(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)始建(jian)于唐貞觀二(er)年(nian)(628),宋大(da)中(zhong)祥符(fu)八(ba)年(nian)(1015)重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)。《莆陽(yang)比(bi)事(shi)》載:“元佑(you)間雷擊(ji)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),鴟吻(wen)墮(duo),內(nei)得(de)黑木板,文曰:‘后(hou)(hou)(hou)八(ba)十年(nian)狄覺(jue)奴來守此邦重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)易殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)屋。’主者以聞,郡守狄明(ming)遠(yuan)視之(zhi)嘆(tan)曰:‘吾(wu)小字也,以年(nian)計之(zhi),吾(wu)猶未生(sheng),何其驗耶?’遂捐(juan)俸新之(zhi)。”有史可查的(de)還(huan)有明(ming)永樂五年(nian)(1408)重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)三(san)(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);明(ming)嘉(jia)(jia)靖三(san)(san)(san)十五年(nian)(1556)道士(shi)方汝調、李志升重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)玉(yu)(yu)皇殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);倭(wo)寇陷城后(hou)(hou)(hou)的(de)明(ming)嘉(jia)(jia)靖四十三(san)(san)(san)年(nian)(1564)興(xing)化府知(zhi)府易道談重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)建(jian)山門;明(ming)萬歷九年(nian)(1581)玉(yu)(yu)皇殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壞(huai),次(ci)年(nian)鄉賢林兆恩命人(ren)勸募重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)建(jian),并重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)了(le)三(san)(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、東岳殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、文昌(chang)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)和福(fu)神殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);以后(hou)(hou)(hou)道士(shi)單茂喬又募建(jian)文昌(chang)宮(gong)、五顯(xian)廟。明(ming)崇(chong)禎十三(san)(san)(san)年(nian)(1640)又一次(ci)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)了(le)三(san)(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),清(qing)(qing)(qing)嘉(jia)(jia)慶二(er)年(nian)(1797)翁(weng)廷璋重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)東岳殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(包括中(zhong)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、拜亭、兩廡和山門);清(qing)(qing)(qing)咸豐年(nian)間(1851~1861)又一次(ci)重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)福(fu)神殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);清(qing)(qing)(qing)光緒年(nian)間(1875—1908)興(xing)化府同知(zhi)楊(yang)萬清(qing)(qing)(qing)又一次(ci)大(da)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)了(le)三(san)(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);民國后(hou)(hou)(hou)除了(le)重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)建(jian)九御殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)外,元妙觀其他(ta)建(jian)筑(zhu)(zhu)先后(hou)(hou)(hou)遭受破壞(huai);1956年(nian)10月(yue),文化部(bu)撥(bo)款重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)三(san)(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian);近年(nian)國家文物局再次(ci)撥(bo)款大(da)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)三(san)(san)(san)清(qing)(qing)(qing)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)及(ji)其附屬(shu)建(jian)筑(zhu)(zhu)物。