An iconic curved stone railway viaduct set amid jungle and tea, famous for photos of the train crossing its nine arches.

Overview

The Nine Arch Bridge is one of Sri Lanka's most photographed landmarks, a graceful 91 m long colonial-era viaduct built entirely of stone, brick and cement without steel. Spanning a lush green ravine between Ella and Demodara stations, it draws crowds who gather to watch the hill-country train curve slowly across its nine arches. A short walk through tea gardens and forest leads down to the best viewpoints.

History

The bridge dates to the early 20th century, built during the British construction of the Colombo-Badulla hill-country railway. Local lore holds that when wartime steel shortages halted work, a local builder completed it using only stone and brick, which is why it stands as one of the finest examples of the era's masonry railway engineering.