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Image courtesy of Dr. Ashan Geeganage
This stone bridge is located west of the Kayankenі Junction and it has fallen across the Kayankenі Lagoon. The bridge belonged to the Kayankenі Grama Niladhari Division of Vakare Secretariat zone. The bridge has extended from east to west and the existing length of this stone bridge is about 200m when looked at from eye level. Some pillars had fall across the lagoon. The bottom of the pillars were built vertically covered with water to some extent.
This bridge is known as “Vannadі bridge” to the people who live in the area. “Vannadі” is a Tamil term that means “butterfly”. About 2km to east of the Kayankenі stone bridge and about 200m towards land from the Kayankenі coast, there are lots of ruins spread over land of covering few kilometers.
We succeed in discovering lot of architectural items like different sized stone pillars, Kοrawak Gal and Sandakada Pahana (mοοnstοnes) from this place and the above mentioned Kayankenі bridge also appears to lead toward this land.
Local sources informed us that in the past there was a Royal School in this ruined area and they believe this road was the way used by the ancient royal princes and princesses to reach this school (Interview: S. H.Tіlakaratna, Ranjіth Bandara on 15. 08. 2012). While observing the geographical background of this Kayankenі area, we saw this place could have been a sea bay. Therefore it can be identified as a suitable location for a harbour.
These factors may suggest a new historical story regarding the polonnaruwa kingdom, where we would have an ancient harbour and an ancient religious place that was connected to the harbour. But this sit requires further study.
by A. M. A. Dayananda and Mahinda Karunarathna
Maritime Archaeology Unit, Central Cultural Fund, Ministry of Culture and the Arts
Galle Fort, Sri Lanka
To view the remains of the Vannadі bridge, you will need to take a ride on a fishing boat on the lagoon. For a trip report to this site by Dr. Ashan Geeganage who contributed the above photos can be found here.
There are at number of stone bridges discovered in Sri Lanka. These are in various states while some have been conserved to an extent. The most popular is the bridge over the Malwathu Oya.
- Stone Bridge over Malwathu Oya (Anuradhapura)
- Stone Bridge over Halpan Ela (Anuradhapura)
- Stone Bridge close to Mahakanadarawa Reservoir (Mihintale)
- Stone Bridge at the Girihandu Seya (Tiriyaya)
- Kayankerni Stone Bridge (Eastern Province)
- Habagama Stone Bridge
- Yanoya Stone Bridge
- Weliela Mankada Stone Bridge
- Palamgala Stone Bridge
- Alubedda Stone Bridge
- Palugaswewa Stone Bridge
- Thirappane Stone Bridge
- Ebawalapitiya Stone Bridge
- Thulawelliya Stone Bridge
Also See
Map of the The Ancient Stone Bridge at Kayankerni
The map above also shows other places of interest within a approximately 20 km radius of the current site. Click on any of the markers and the info box to take you to information of these sites
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Traveling Directions to the The Ancient Stone Bridge at Kayankerni
| Route from Trincomalee to The Ancient Stone Bridge at Kayankerni | Route from Batticaloa to The Ancient Stone Bridge at Kayankerni |
| Through : Kinniya – Mutur – Serunuwara – Verugal – Kathiraveli – Vakare Distance : 95 km Travel time : 2.15 hours Driving directions : see on google maps | Through : Chenkaladi – Kalkuda Distance : 43 km Travel time : 1.15 hours Driving directions : see on google maps |