There is hardly anyone in Sri Lanka who doesn’t know about Bogoda wooden bridge. This creation which is made of wood is so famous. Before the Industrial Revolution brought about in the world, almost all the buildings and constructions were made out of wood. Bogoda wooden bridge is such an old and valuable creation which was
completely made out of wood. Even the nails and fittings of this bridge have been made out of wood and it is said that the roofing tiles used to make the roof of it belong to the era of Kandy.
This wooden bridge which is situated in the village of Bogoda about 13 kilometers away from Badulla town is considered to be the oldest wooden bridge found in Sri Lanka. And this bridge which is fifteen meters long and one and half meters wide, has been built over Gallanda Oya (Gallanda Brook). It is believed that this bridge has been built during Dambadeniya era in 16 th century, for the convenience of transportation between the two cities of Kandy and Badulla.
According to the legends, the timber of only one single tree has been used to construct the entire bridge. It is an amazing fact that this delicately and endurably erected bridge is not in a decayed condition even today. Every year, a large number of tourists come to Bogoda to visit this bridge which has been established with the help of a 11 meter long stem of a tree. Also, this bridge can be considered as a fine example for Sri Lanka’s ancient wooden constructions.
It is not inconvenient for the travelers who come on a trip to Badulla area to visit Bogoda wooden bridge since it is located not very far from Badulla town. Hence, this important creation can be named to be watched even by small children.
