Nine Arch Bridge

Colonial railway bridge in Sri Lanka

This article is about the bridge in Sri Lanka. For the bridge in Ireland, see Nine Arches Bridge. For the bridge in Hungary, see Nine-arched Bridge.

Nine Arch Bridge

Nine Arch Bridge in Ella

Coordinates| 6°52′36″N 81°03′40″E﻿ / ﻿6.876667°N 81.061111°E﻿ / 6.876667; 81.061111
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]

## Location

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It is located in Demodara, between Ella 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.[5]

## History

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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.[6]

The chief designer and project manager of the 'Upcountry Railway Line of Ceylon' project was D. J. Wimalasurendra, a distinguished Ceylonese engineer and inventor. The designer of the viaduct was Harold Cuthbert Marwood of Railway Construction Department of Ceylon Government Railway. 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.[7]

Folklore generally attributed the construction of the bridge to a local Ceylonese builder, P. K. Appuhami, in consultation with British engineers.[8][9][10] 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.[6]

At the time of construction, which coincided with the commencement of World War I, 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.[9][8]

* A panoramic view of the Nine Arch Bridge

* Nine Arch Bridge, Sri Lanka in 2017

* Drone shot of the Nine Arch Bridge

## References

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1. ^ "Department of Archaeology - The Antiquities Ordinance (Chapter 188) Order Under Section 16 - number 45" (PDF). Gazette Extraordinary (2317/57): 9A. 1 February 2023.
2. ^ "DEMODARA NINE ARCH BRIDGE". Retrieved 24 January 2018.
3. ^ "Engineer Marwood's report to the Institution of Engineers, Ceylon in 1922" (PDF). Retrieved 23 July 2024.
4. ^ "Demodara Nine Arch Bridge". 6 September 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
5. ^ a b "Tourists at Nine Arch Bridge". Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 24 December 2017. Archived from the original on 25 January 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
6. ^ a b c "Nine Arch Bridge Demodara". 23 July 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
7. ^ IESL Construction report for the viaduct
8. ^ a b Demodara Nine Arch Bridge, Amazing Lanka
9. ^ a b Nine Arch Bridge, Lakpura
10. ^ Deodhar, Shrikant (2023). Glittering Gem of the Indian Ocean. Notion Press. ISBN 9798889099819.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nine Arches Bridge, Demodara.

* In the Hills of Sri Lanka’s Tea Country

*[No.]: Number