Athu Ela Bridge

• Athu Ela Bridge is one of the biggest Bridges among the Stone arch bridges of National Highways of Sri Lanka. It is consist of 3 arches and situated on 55 th km of Galle Deniyaya Madampe Road (A 017) between Pitabeddara and Morawaka towns. 
• Travelers who pass through this bridge are able to see the beauty of this bridge, because bridge is situated at a big bend.
• This is one of oldest bridges of Sri Lanka. It has been built during British colonial period  for transport tea products from Deniyaya. 
• This bridge is crossed a small stream. Elephants had walked along this small stream on those days. Then it became called "Athu Ela".
• British planters wanted to cross over this Athu Ela to transport their products. They handed over to the local contractor called "Haramanis Basunnehe" to construct a bridge across this Ela. He has began the construction works with Indian labors since 1871.
• Initial construction was too small scale and it has been demolished by the elephants walk along the Ela.
• Then it was constructed bigger so that elephants can move through the bridge without knowing the bridge is there.
• Although it has been built for carts in those days this is a mirror of showing the quality of the construction because it can bear the large containers in nowadays too.