The Ark is a large earthen fortification located in the northwestern part of contemporary Bukhara. In layout, it resembles a modified rectangle, a little elongated from the west to the east. The perimeter of the external walls is 789.6 m (2,591 ft), the area enclosed being 3.96 ha (9.8 acres). The height of the walls varies from 16 to 20 m (52 to 66 ft). In addition to being a military structure, the Ark encompassed what was essentially a town that, during much of the fortress"s history, was inhabited by the various royal courts that held sway over the region surrounding Bukhara.