Approximately 15 km from Bandarawella and 23km from Badulla, you can reach the most iconic and most visited bridge in Sri Lanka. People name it the Nine Arch Bridge because there are nine arches or nine spans used to build this magnificent bridge. The Nine Arch Bridge is situated between Ella train station and Demodara rail station.
Nine Arch Bridge is 3100 feet above sea level. The bridge is made of solid rocks, bricks, and cement, and amazingly, without adding a single piece of steel to it. Construction ended in 1921.
THE NINE ARCH BRIDGE “Even after 100 years, a single brick hasn’t fallen. It’s all about pure Sri Lankan Skills at their best”
Staring from 1815 to 1948 Sri Lanka was a colony under British crown. In this colonial-era most of the up railway lines developed and 100% of up country rail way lines.
When British engineers were constructing the country's railway line from Kandy to Badulla, they came to a gap between the hills after ELLA. When they did the tests on the gap and especially the soil in the gap, they got to know that there was a quagmire (marsh) at the bottom of the gap. This will lead to the issue of securely anchoring the columns of a bridge to the ground.
So the British engineers and Sri Lankan engineers were in doubt about carrying out construction of the railway. P. K. Appuhami, a local builder in the area, requested engineers to hand over the building of this bridge. A distinguished Sri Lankan engineer and inventor, D. J. Wimalasurendra, was the "Upcountry Railway Line Ceylon" chief designer and the project manager who did the design.
P.K. Appuhami and his men worked really hard to construct this amazing project. His men toppled large rocks into this gap until they filled it up, because of the marsh bottom, and then he built the brick columns on this rock bed. Once, due to the lower cost of construction, British engineers were unsure of the structure and whether it would hold the weight.
So, P. K. Appuhamy lies down under the bridge on the first train journey and is assured that the bridge will hold and the strength is enough. Not even a single brick damage until now after 100 years. So you can imagine the skills of local people at that time.
Based on folklore in the area, it is said that the English offered the balance payment and he carried four carts full of silver coins from Colombo, and that he provided meals for the Parabedda and Puranwela villagers for two days and also gave them one silver coin each. P.K. Appuhami from Kappatipola in Welimada
Why they did not add steel to this construction is that at that time, the First World War started and all the steel-related things were fully assigned to war-related activities. So the project stood still for many years. But P. K. Appuhamy and his men built the bridge with solid stone bricks and cement without steel.
Daily trains from Colombo to Badulla and Badulla to Colombo are operating. It is one of the major attractions in the Ella area. Yearly, thousands of people visit to see this magnificent design of engineering and true Sri Lankan skills. The most eye-catching time will be when the train passes over the bridge. You can see it in my photos too. People gather to see this, and you need to check the time of the train reaching Ella train station and be there at least 20 minutes before the normal time.
There are beautiful view points on both sides of the bridge, west and east. If you closely look at my photos, you can identify them. When you reach the bridge, you can identify it.
There are a few ways to reach the bridge. Some start walking along the railway line from ELLA station to Badulla. It will take 20 to 30 minutes’ walk. Or some take the Ella to Passara road, and then you can find two roads on the way to the bridge. This time you need to take a Tuk Tuk, or if you are good at walking, then it will not be a problem. Before the 98 Arces hotel, you will find a road named "Nine Arch Bridge Road", and after the hotel, there is a road called "Daluggalapathana Road". Both will help you find the Nine Arch Bridge.
But you can get Google map support, local support, or your guide will direct you to the bridge.
• Train times 9.30am / 11.30am / 15.30pm / 16.30pm / 17.30pm
• Select a view point near the tunnel. When you walk from the bridge to the tunnel, turn left and climb up to the woods. See my picture and you can find it.
• Always be at the bridge at least 30 minutes early, as some trains pass a little early too.
• Take a 1L water bottle if you are walking. There are some king coconut refreshing points near the bridge.
• Sun cream will be helpful in the morning.
• When you go down to the bottom of the bridge, you need to walk through tea plantations and be careful of leeches around that area.
"Whenever I travel around Sri Lanka, I gather knowledge and capture sweet memories. As a blogger, it’s my utmost effort to share my knowledge with you and make your travel experience more meaningful."
