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  • 5/5 Milinda H. 6 years ago on Google
    One of the well preserved stone bridge in sri lanka. Another can find at thiriyaya girihadu seya premises. Googal route is wrong. Ask from villagers when you in 500m radius.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Buddika E. 5 years ago on Google
    This is believed to have been constructed during the same period , Maha kanadarawa Tank was build by king Mahasen (276-303 C.E).The road leading to the north of the country from Anuradhapura would have lain over this bridge.The bridge made of smoothened rock slabs in 78 feet long 8 1/2 feet wide.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Sisira K. 4 years ago on Google
    Historical stoned bridge built by king Mahasen. Good place to visit
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Navindu W. 6 years ago on Google
    I think this is the best preserved stone bridge in Sri Lanka. It is well preserved and complete. Better than other popular stone bridges. Situated in a remote area in Mahakanadarawa. If you are going to see the Mahakanadarawa Wewa, this is situated only about 1.5 km away from the end of the bund. Road is good. If you are using Google navigation you have to stop 200m before the destination point, just passing a concrete bridge. There is a small foot path at the end of the concrete bridge, to the left. Go along this foot path to reach the bridge.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Thilina G. 7 months ago on Google
    This marvelous engineering creature is constructed across the spill tail canal of Mahakanadarawa tank. It is believed that the bridge has been constructed during the period of the tank constructed during the reign of King Mahasen.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Dhamma G. 2 years ago on Google
    The most important feature of the ancient Sri Lankan economy was its village level self sufficiency. The basic needs of the people were satisfied within the village community. Traveling between villages usually took place by foot as people did not usually travel long distances. Therefore there was no need for big roads linking villages. However, bigger and better roads were required to link the important administrative and commercial centers. During the first few centuries of Anuradhapura era, the main administrative centers were Anuradhapura and Magama in the Ruhuna. There was a main road linking these two cities. Furthermore, major roads connected Anuradhapura with the ports of Jambukolapattana (Dambakola Patuna) in the Jaffna Peninsula, Mathota or Mahatitta (Manthai) near present day Mannar and Gokanna (Trincomalee). These three ports were the most important trade centers in the Rajarata at the time. The Anuradhapura-Dambakolapatuna Road went through Rambewa, Omanthai, Pavatkulam and Vavunikulam. This road had several stone bridges including those near Anuradhapura over the Malwatu Oya and another at Pavatkulam over the canal starting from the reservoir. Stone beams and slabs of these bridges still exist. The most famous site is the remains of a bridge at Periyapulankulama in Anuradhapura, commonly known as Galpalama (Stone Bridge). The best preserved ancient stone bridge is the Mahakanadarawa stone bridge, built over the Kanadarawa River in the ancient road between Anuradhapura and Gokanna (Trincomalee). The present road connecting the two cities roughly coincides with the ancient road, which is a clear indication of the technological skills of the ancient Sri Lankans. The existing structure at Mahakanadarawa is 80 feet in length and ten feet in width. Ten feet long 14 stone beams of the size of 16 by 12 inches have been paved across it. The bridge is supported by 42 columns of 12 by 12 inches fixed on rocks on the bed of the river. The slabs of the bridge vary in sizes, the largest being eight feet long and 18 inches wide. The thickness of the slabs is six to eight inches. There are ruins of another stone bridge over the Yan Oya near Ratmale but the bridge has not been preserved well. The dimensions of the Mahakanadarawa Bridge clearly indicate that they could support even elephants. The road to Magama from Anuradhapura was in use from very early times. It went through Polonnaruwa, crossed the Mahaweli River at the Dastota ford and went through Mahiyangana, Yudanganava, Buttala and Kataragama up to Magama (present day Tissamaharama). King Dutugemunu led his armies against King Elara along this road. As the main link between the capital of ancient Ruhuna and Anuradhapura, this road played an important part in Sri Lankan history. The ancient city of Anuradhapura had a well constructed road network. The Chinese monk Fa-Hsien, who visited the island around 415 A.D.,states that the roads and streets in the city of Anuradhapura were excellently laid out and beautifully maintained. He further states that there were four principal streets in Anuradhapura and that they were wide and well paved with bricks and lined with walls also built of bricks. With the decline of the Rajarata and Ruhuna civilizations, some of the ancient roads, apart from those in the South Western parts of the island, were overtaken by the encroaching jungle. New roads were also built through European intervention even before the British conquered Kandy.

  • 5/5 Nisal P. 3 years ago on Google
    Not crowded but worth a visit. Road to the location is not in the ideal condition. Bit difficult to find but the location in the map is accurate.

  • 5/5 Inuka A. 4 years ago on Google
    Its located very close to Mahakanadarawa tank. This shows our ancestors engineering marvel.

  • 5/5 මධුසංඛ �. 6 years ago on Google
    Amazing please to see every Sri Lankans

  • 5/5 Kasthuri Arachchi J. 1 year ago on Google
    Astonishing work of architecture. Found some old photos from dads cam. If it's just about the rainy season, you might get a chance to see the bridge with much better surrounding, but if it's too rainy, please don't go.

  • 5/5 Jason F. 1 year ago on Google
    Excellent test of time 4th century bridge still stands and seems to be as strong as the first day it was built.

  • 5/5 Milinda A. 5 months ago on Google
    Built within the same period of Mahakanadarawa tank by king Mahasen (276-303 CE). One of the well preserved stone bridges in the country. It is believed that the road connecting North and Anuradhapura was laid on this path.


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