The ancient Ark Fortress — a remarkable monument of medieval architecture is located in the northwestern part of the city on a hill, about 20 meters to the adjacent area of the Registan square. The length of the perimeter of the outer walls is about 789.60 m, inner area — 3.96 hectares. Ark Fortress built around the V c. and strongly fired by Red Army artillery in 1920. Ark Fortress is a typical town in the city. About 3 thousand people lived inside of the fortress till the beginning of XX c. Inside of Ark were located the palace of rulers, palace services, servants’ and their relatives houses, a mosque, an arsenal, warehouses and workshops.
Rudaki, Ferdowsi, Avicenna, Omar Khayyam, worked and created for the fortified walls of the citadel in the middle Ages.
Today, the main entrance and a vast courtyard are perfectly preserved. A beautiful view of the throne room, the courtyard of the Prime Minister, several mosques, including the Juma (Friday), greeting’s yard and stable yard are open in the courtyard.
There is an archaeological reserve, which is a ruined castle and miraculously survived two buildings: the mosque «Childuhtaron» (40 girls), tortured by order of Emir Nasrullah and the building of unknown purpose in the Ark.
Today, museums, exhibitions and souvenir shops located in all fortress buildings.