Kotehadi is a ruined fort recently excavated at Barkur in
Udupi District of
Karnataka. This ancient fort was identified to be belonging to the Vijayanagara period. Around the fort lies a 1 km long circularly built moat which, according to the archeologists, could hold 1, 60,000 cubic liters of water and served as a storage device to preserve rain water. It is the first of its kind in Karnataka, having an exceptional feature of water management system. Brutal reptiles like crocodiles used to be put into the moat to prevent enemies from attacking the fort. This 18 acre land fort has a palace complex and also boasts many Chinese remnants dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries, showing its trade connections with China.
Barkur town is well connected to other cities and towns by road. It has its own railway station. Sastan and Moodahadu are other nearby areas of tourist interest.
