☰The Ark

The Ark is Bukhara's ancient citadel, a massive mud-brick fortress that has dominated the city skyline for at least two millennia. At its peak it functioned as the seat of the Bukharan emirs — palace, treasury, mint, stables, and prison all contained within its walls. The entrance portal, rebuilt in the 1920s, leads up a ramp into a complex of courtyards and rooms that now house a regional history museum. The ramparts offer sweeping views over the old city.