Barabati is the historical heart of Cuttack. The ruins of the fort sit beside the Mahanadi at the western edge of the old city, hemmed in now by the modern Barabati Stadium and a children's park. The most striking thing left is the broad moat, still wet for most of the year, and the high mound where the medieval palace stood.
The site is best visited in late afternoon. The fort itself takes no more than half an hour to walk around — there is not much in the way of standing stonework — but the riverbank and the adjacent gardens are pleasant, and locals come to sit on the grass and watch the light go down over the Mahanadi.