The Nine Arch Bridge (;

Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka ** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...

: ஒன்பது வளைவுகள் பாலம்) also called the Bridge in the Sky, is a viaduct bridge in

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

and one of the best examples of colonial-era railway construction in the country. The bridge was designed to accommodate a challenging nine-degree curve and steep gradient. Built entirely by local labor under British supervision, the construction faced significant logistical challenges, including difficult terrain and material transport. Completed in 1919, the bridge has since stood resilient, showcasing innovative engineering solutions such as concrete cornice blocks for arch support and locally produced sand-cement blocks for facing.

Location

It is located in Demodara, between

Ella Ella is a feminine given name, which also used as a surname. Ella (or similar) may also refer to: Places United States * Ella, Kentucky, an unincorporated community * Ella, Oregon, an unincorporated community * Ella, Pennsylvania, an unincor ...

and Demodara railway stations. The surrounding area has seen a steady increase of tourism due to the bridge's architectural ingenuity and the profuse greenery in the nearby hillsides.

History

The work had been carried by Harold Cuthbert Marwood as Engineer in charge of that section of the railway, under the approval of the Chief Construction Engineer, Railway Extensions, M. Cole Bowen. The chief designer and project manager of the 'Upcountry Railway Line of Ceylon' project was

D. J. Wimalasurendra Devapura Jayasena Wimalasurendra (17 September 1874 – 10 August 1953) was a Sri Lankan engineer and statesman. He played a prominent role in the establishment of hydropower in Sri Lanka and is known as the "Father of Hydropower" and was a membe ...

, a distinguished Ceylonese engineer and inventor. The designer of the viaduct was Harold Cuthbert Marwood of Railway Construction Department of

Ceylon Government Railway The Sri Lanka Railway Department (more commonly known as Sri Lanka Railways (SLR)) ( Sinhala: ශ්‍රී ලංකා දුම්රිය සේවය ''Śrī Laṃkā Dumriya Sēvaya''; Tamil: இலங்கை புகையிரத ...

. The 1923 report "Construction of a Concrete Railway Viaduct in Ceylon", published by the Engineering Association of Ceylon, has details of all the records including the plans and drawings. Folklore generally attributed the construction of the bridge to a local Ceylonese builder, P. K. Appuhami, in consultation with British engineers.Demodara Nine Arch Bridge
Amazing LankaNine Arch Bridge
Lakpura There is no documented evidence to support the involvement of Appuhami in the bridge's construction, but the folklore remains a part of the local heritage. At the time of construction, which coincided with the commencement of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, rumours were that the steel assigned for the bridge were reallocated to British war related projects, and as a result, work came to a standstill, leading the locals to build the bridge with stone bricks and cement, but without steel, except of course for the rails and pins securing them. File:Nine Arches Bridge in Ella.jpg, A panoramic view of the Nine Arch Bridge File:Nine Arches Bridge.jpg, Nine Arch Bridge, Sri Lanka in 2017 File:Nine Arch Bridge-Srilanka-Andres Larin.jpg, Drone shot of the Nine Arch Bridge

References

External links

{{Commons category, Nine Arches Bridge, Demodara
In the Hills of Sri Lanka’s Tea Country
Bridges in Badulla District Tourist attractions in Badulla District Railway bridges in Sri Lanka Archaeological protected monuments in Badulla District