Ark is an ancient citadel in Bukhara, a monumental fortress, an ancient symbol of state power. The oldest building in Bukhara. The creator of the fortress is considered to be the legendary Siyavush, sung by Ferdowsi in the great Persian epic “Shahnameh“.
The fortress rises almost 20 meters above the level of the surrounding area and covers an area of about 4 hectares. All the buildings located in the Arch belong to the XVII— XX centuries, that is, to the rule of the Uzbek dynasties — Ashtarkhanids and Mangits.
It is noteworthy that the fortress was not only the main residence of the emir of Bukhara, but also served as a place where great writers and scientists lived and worked at different times: Omar Khayyam, Avicenna, Firdousi.
To date, the Ark Fortress is a huge open-air museum complex. In total, there are 8 museums on its territory, containing more than 80 thousand exhibits.
