The Ark Citadel was the fortified heart of old Bukhara, containing the emir's palace, offices, barracks, storehouses, mint, arsenal, and prison within its thick walls. Its battered outer ramparts dominate the western edge of the historic center.
Inside, the surviving spaces and museum displays are uneven, but the citadel matters because it makes Bukhara's political history physical. Combine it with Bolo Haouz Mosque and the nearby Zindon prison.