Dhenkanal town, the headquarters of Dhenkanal District, is located on NH 42 connecting Cuttack with Sambalpur in Orissa. The town is named after a Savar Chief called Dhenka, who was in possession of a compact area around the present township.
The town is clustered with archeological sites and the pinnacles of several temples, and the most important among them are Balabhadra temple, Sambhugopal temple, Raghunath temple and Kunajakanta Krishna temple. The District Museum, housing traditional weapons of the ex-rulers of Dhenkanal and tools of the Paleolithic period, is one of the main attractions. The peaceful ambience and charm of the town attract many tourists.
