No, Noah did not leave his ark in Bukhara. Or his heart in San Francisco. Is that a thing? The Ark, capital A, is the icon of Bukhara, a moundy, hulking, walled pile of a fortress in the middle of town. It looks like a leftover movie set from a sword and sandal epic. The Ark dates a little before celluloid, about the 6th century. What's left, rebuilt, reimagined, erected for tourists is what dates to about the 16th century onward.
No, this photograph has not been stretched. The wall of the Ark, greeting another morning.
The imposing entryway. As late as 1920, approximately 3,000 people lived upon the Ark. Outrageous woodwork and painting inside the Jome mosque.
The Kurinesh Khana, a throne hall in a courtyard. Have a seat, snap something for Instagram. Oh, all the textiles are for sale.
The stable area behind the entryway gate. Plenty of artifacts fill the buildings, including royal wear, definitely on the Royal side of style. Bling!
Looking toward old Bukhara from the back of the restored section of the Ark. Only a small percentage of the grounds has been restored, something that comes into perspective when seeing the vast expanse of the still ruined, fallow land atop the fortress.
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