該閣建于(yu)明(ming)洪武年間,為(wei)(wei)3層(ceng)(ceng)重檐斗拱建筑,由36根高(gao)大的(de)圓(yuan)柱支撐,頂部全是(shi)梁架半拱,漸(jian)次往上(shang)收(shou)攏成八(ba)卦形,至屋頂為(wei)(wei)太極圖。屋頂系金黃琉璃(li)瓦鋪就,外觀飛檐翅角,看(kan)上(shang)去端莊(zhuang)大方,氣(qi)勢(shi)雄偉。樓內(nei)有(you)(you)精美的(de)壁畫,泥塑和浮雕,樓前有(you)(you)兩(liang)亭(ting)一臺,還有(you)(you)3棵枝繁葉(xie)茂(mao)的(de)大青樹,旁邊有(you)(you)太清仙境(jing)、玄帝(di)觀、文昌宮等(deng)建筑,為(wei)(wei)保山(shan)的(de)八(ba)景之(zhi)一。十(shi)分(fen)玄妙(miao)(miao)的(de)是(shi),玉皇(huang)閣的(de)第(di)二層(ceng)(ceng)掛有(you)(you)一塊(kuai)匾,從正面看(kan)是(shi) “至誠(cheng)無(wu)息”朱(zhu)黃色(se)大字;從左(zuo)邊看(kan)是(shi)“龍飛鳳(feng)舞”紅(hong)綠(lv)色(se)大字;從右(you)邊看(kan)則是(shi)“海晏(yan)河清”褐紅(hong)色(se)大字,實為(wei)(wei)奇中(zhong)之(zhi)奇,至今無(wu)人能(neng)說得清其中(zhong)的(de)奧妙(miao)(miao),充分(fen)反映了古代勞動人民的(de)聰明(ming)才智。
據《永昌府(fu)志》載,玉(yu)(yu)皇閣為(wei)(wei)明嘉(jia)靖二十四(si)年(公元1545年)郡人(ren)(ren)馮君魯在原毗盧(lu)閣廢址上(shang)所(suo)建,現存大(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)殿(dian)(dian)及(ji)大(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)殿(dian)(dian)前丹(dan)墀兩側(ce)之鐘鼓(gu)二亭(ting)。大(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)殿(dian)(dian)矗立在鑲嵌青(qing)石(shi)浮(fu)雕(diao)的高(gao)臺基(ji)座上(shang),基(ji)座平面401平方米(mi),高(gao)闊方直,呈(cheng)灰青(qing)色(se)(se)調,給人(ren)(ren)以(yi)素(su)雅博大(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)之感(gan)。其上(shang)所(suo)承大(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)殿(dian)(dian)為(wei)(wei)三重(zhong)檐歇山頂(ding),早先曾(ceng)塑玉(yu)(yu)皇金身(shen)座像和四(si)大(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)真人(ren)(ren)巨型立像。大(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)殿(dian)(dian)面闊5間(jian),23米(mi);進深5間(jian),17米(mi)。下(xia)有六六三十六根大(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)柱(zhu)舉(ju)架支撐,中柱(zhu)通(tong)高(gao)13.6米(mi)。明間(jian)和次間(jian)之間(jian)采(cai)用(yong)移柱(zhu)法將中柱(zhu)后移,以(yi)擴(kuo)寬殿(dian)(dian)堂(tang)中央空間(jian);穹頂(ding)呈(cheng)覆斗形八卦藻井,頂(ding)面繪(hui)(hui)太極圖;殿(dian)(dian)內(nei)壁畫飄逸多(duo)姿,一(yi)派(pai)仙家氣象;格子門勻(yun)雕(diao)有動物、花(hua)卉,空靈娟秀(xiu)。殿(dian)(dian)頂(ding)通(tong)覆黃(huang)色(se)(se)琉璃瓦(wa),正脊(ji)飾以(yi)寶頂(ding)、禽獸、鴟吻(wen),垂(chui)脊(ji)亦(yi)作(zuo)花(hua)飾、尾吻(wen),四(si)角懸(xuan)以(yi)風鈴。三重(zhong)檐下(xia)均懸(xuan)巨匾(bian),尤其是二層檐口(kou)懸(xuan)掛的四(si)塊木質浮(fu)雕(diao)彩繪(hui)(hui)的單字匾(bian)引(yin)人(ren)(ren)注目,正視為(wei)(wei)“至(zhi)誠(cheng)無息”四(si)個朱黃(huang)大(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)字,右側(ce)(北)視為(wei)(wei)“龍飛鳳(feng)舞(wu)”四(si)個紅綠色(se)(se)大(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)字,左(zuo)側(ce)(南)視為(wei)(wei)“諸神參天”四(si)個紅褐色(se)(se)大(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)字,一(yi)匾(bian)而三用(yong),建筑師匠(jiang)心獨運,由此可見一(yi)斑。殿(dian)(dian)前兩側(ce)為(wei)(wei)鐘鼓(gu)二亭(ting),昔時亭(ting)內(nei)懸(xuan)鐘架鼓(gu),朝暮(mu)為(wei)(wei)聲;大(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)殿(dian)(dian)北鄰之會(hui)真樓(lou),為(wei)(wei)徐霞客(ke)當(dang)年游歷保山下(xia)榻(ta)處所(suo)。
云(yun)南(nan)保(bao)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)太保(bao)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)門,太保(bao)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)景(jing)區有玉(yu)(yu)皇閣(ge)(ge)、玉(yu)(yu)佛殿、角亭龍(long)雕、山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)頂(ding)戲樓、山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)頂(ding)武(wu)侯祠、石楠樹、印度榕、同心樹、二十(shi)四節氣石刻(ke)等景(jing)點。玉(yu)(yu)皇閣(ge)(ge)位于(yu)太保(bao)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)門不(bu)遠處,緊鄰玉(yu)(yu)佛殿,始建(jian)于(yu)明代(dai),經歷代(dai)修葺建(jian)設終成(cheng)今(jin)天的(de)規模。保(bao)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)太保(bao)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)玉(yu)(yu)皇閣(ge)(ge)有麒麟、鐘鼓亭、金鑾(luan)寶殿、山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)神殿、三官殿等景(jing)點。其莊嚴超拔(ba)的(de)氣勢、精妙至極(ji)的(de)建(jian)筑工藝令人贊嘆,可謂(wei)古“西(xi)南(nan)絲綢之(zhi)路”重鎮一顆(ke)光耀奪目(mu)的(de)古建(jian)筑瑰寶。玉(yu)(yu)皇閣(ge)(ge)曾經是保(bao)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)市博物館所在(zai)地(di)。后改為(wei)宗教活動場所,現為(wei)隆陽區道協(xie)所在(zai)地(di)。 2006年05月25日,保(bao)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)玉(yu)(yu)皇閣(ge)(ge)作為(wei)明代(dai)古建(jian)筑,被國務(wu)院批準列入第(di)六批全國重點文物保(bao)護單位名單。