| Bridge Name: | Nine Arch Bridge |
| Also Known As: | “The Bridge in the Sky” |
| Owner: | Sri Lanka Railways |
| Heritage: | Archaeological Protected Monument[1] |
| Material: | Stones, Bricks and Cement |
| Length: | [2] |
| Spans: | 9 |
| Num Track: | 1 |
| Track Gauge: | 5 ft 6 in |
| Electrification: | No |
| Builder: | Harold Cuthbert Marwood |
| Complete: | 1919[3] |
| Coordinates: | 6.8767°N 81.0616°W |
The Nine Arch Bridge (Sinhala; Sinhalese: 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]
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.
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.[7]
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. [8]
Folklore generally attributed the construction of the bridge to a local Ceylonese builder, P. K. Appuhami, in consultation with British engineers.[9] [10] [11] There is no documented evidence to support the involvement of Appuhami in the bridge’s construction, but the folklore remains a cherished part of local heritage.[12]
Popular rumours suggest that when construction work commenced on the bridge, the Great War began between the empires of Europe and the steel assigned for this site was reallocated to Britain's War related projects at the battlefront. As a result, the 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.[10] [9]