Nine Arch Bridge | |
|---|---|
 Nine Arch Bridge in Ella | |
| Coordinates | 6°52′36″N 81°03′40″E / 6.876667°N 81.061111°E |
| Other name(s) | "The Bridge in the Sky" |
| Owner | Sri Lanka Railways |
| Heritage status | Archaeological Protected Monument[1] |
| Characteristics | |
| Material | Stones, Bricks and Cement |
| Total length | 91 m (300 ft)[2] |
| Width | 7.6 m (25 ft) |
| Height | 24 m (80 ft) |
| No. of spans | 9 |
| Rail characteristics | |
| No. of tracks | 1 |
| Track gauge | 5 ft 6 in |
| Electrified | No |
| History | |
| Constructed by | Harold Cuthbert Marwood |
| Construction end | 1919[3] |
| Location | |
 | |
The Nine Arch Bridge (Sinhala: ආරුක්කු නමයේ පාලම; Tamil: ஒன்பது வளைவுகள் பாலம்) also called the Bridge in the Sky,[4] is a viaduct bridge in Sri Lanka and one of the best examples of colonial-era railway construction in the country.[5]
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.[6]
- ^ "Department of Archaeology - The Antiquities Ordinance (Chapter 188) Order Under Section 16 - number 45" (PDF). Gazette Extraordinary (2317/57): 9A. 1 February 2023.
- ^ "DEMODARA NINE ARCH BRIDGE". Retrieved 24 January 2018.
- ^ "Engineer Marwood's report to the Institution of Engineers, Ceylon in 1922" (PDF). Retrieved 23 July 2024.
- ^ "Demodara Nine Arch Bridge". 6 September 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
- ^ "Tourists at Nine Arch Bridge". Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 24 December 2017. Archived from the original on 25 January 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
- ^ "Nine Arch Bridge Demodara". Retrieved 23 July 2024.