Akuressa Old Bridge (Sinhala: අකුරැස්ස පැරණි පාලම) is an iron bridge built over the Nilwala Ganga River in Akuressa town in Matara District, Sri Lanka.
History
The bridge was built during the British Period of Ceylon (1815-1948). According to two plaques fixed on the bridge, it was constructed by the Public Works Department in 1879. The plaques read;
Oct 28th 1879. W.C. Ranasingha Over
W. Wrightson C.E. S... Officer
The usage of the old bridge was replaced by a new bridge that opened in 2005. However, the old bridge is still used by pedestrians.
A Protected Monument
The ancient bridge which connects Akuressa and Thibbotuwa village of Akuressa (Town) situated in Akuressa village in the Grama Niladhari Divisions No. 360 of Akuressa and No. 316 of Thibbotuwa in Akuressa Athuraliya Divisional Secretary’s Division is an archaeological protected monument, declared by a government gazette notification published on 1 February 2023.
References
1) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka: Extraordinary. no: 2317/57. 1 February 2023. p.8A.
Attribution
#) LankaPradeepa.com extends its gratitude to Lalith Kekulthotuwage for providing the necessary photographs required for this article. All the photos are published here with the permission of the author.