Nine Arches Bridge is one of the highly photographed and loved landmarks in Sri Lanka. Dubbed the "Bridge in the Sky," this monolithic structure proudly stands opposite the green hills of Ella, displaying genius engineering for the early 20th century. Flanked with dense forests, tea plantations, and misty skies, it attracts tourists, photographers, and train enthusiasts.
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Historical Background
This Nine Arches Bridge is built by the British colonial period of Sri Lanka. It was completed in 1921. This one is part of the train route connecting the central highlands with southern parts. The aim behind its construction was actually to take the tea along with other cargo from hills to the Colombo port.
It was designed and constructed by an engineer from the local area; however, the contribution more or less came from architects from Britain. Strangely enough, the complete stone and cement bridge does not use even an iota of steel in rods. This makes it an example of magnificent workmanship and strength.
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Architectural and Design
1. Structure :
a Length : in length 91 meters
b Height : 24 meters.
o It has very striking and ever-ageing elegant arches so harmonically blending with nature.
2. Materials:
o Blocks of stone cement, which is a rather traditional work of masonry bridge.
o The absence of steel also makes it worth consideration from history and architectural consideration too.
3. Setting,:,
Bridge lies on the lushy set hills along with the spread verdant tea plantations, and it creates one of the most picturesque yet serene surroundings.
o Gives panoramic beauty scenery around it and is the best photography place as well.
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Tour Experience of Nine Arches Bridge
How to access
There are two or maybe easy ways to access the Nine Arches Bridge:
1.
Hike:
o One of the easy way is to trek it starting from the Ella town into the jungle paths and even tea plantations.
o The trek would take near about 30 to 40 minutes and there would have sceneries of quite a few beautiful views on the way.
2.
By Tuk-Tuk:
o In Ella town, tuk-tuk makes driving along this beautiful scenic route to reach this bridge quite effortless
3. The Bridge is Crossed by Train
Most visitors arrive here by train which crosses this, so the chance to take a shot from below will certainly come up, and this is one of the older ones.
Opening Timings
• Early Morning:
The place comes alive with the sun rays, getting up early with dawn for throwing maximum scenic beauty
Train time; there are many timing when the train passes from this beautiful view point
o The slow-moving of the train over the bridge is a magical experience.
o Tourists must know the train time to go accordingly
Activities
1. Photography:
o The green and misty hill in arches of bridge forms perfect shot.
2. Exploration:
The tracks by anyone can pass over by them to feel the general ambience around the bridge. Those have features like little tracks and lookouts.
3._______Relaxation:
Not in the ambience which could be called peacefully sufficient for its job of making just mere relaxation with respect to the purpose, with the aim to witness the beauty of Ella highlands
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Cultural and Local Implication
Nine Arches Bridge lends a cultural value to the local community. It works as a badge of pride and heritage depicting colonial history and expertise in terms of working with the engineering of people and has given support to tourism that gives them an enhancement of livelihood and more important, that brought an added layer of economic boom to that entire region.
There are a few local vendors selling snacks, drinks, and handicrafts near the bridge. This will give the tourist the opportunity to taste the local delicacies and to patronize the small businesspersons.
Visitor Tips
1. Be Safe:
Be observant of the oncoming trains and walk backward in time before crossing over the railway tracks.
2Wear Comfortable Shoes:
The paths that lead to the bridge might be unlevel and slippery; do not forget your sturdy shoes.
3. Carry a Camera: No It is the photographer's delight because of the panoramic view of the bridge and surroundings.
4. Respect Nature: No Visitors are strictly asked to keep the place neat and clean and not litter around.
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Places of Interest Around
1. Little Adam's Peak: No Easy trek that provides scenic views of Ella's landscape
2. Ella Rock: No Moderate trek with sceneries of the surrounding valleys and mountains
3. Ravana Falls:
A beautiful waterfall that explains the Sri Lankan mythology and is very close to Ella town.