On August 24, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, First Lady Ziroatkhon Mirziyoyeva, and family members visited the Ark Fortress in Bukhara.

Axar.az reports that the Ark Fortress was constructed in the 4th century BCE. Its present appearance was mainly formed in the 17th–18th centuries. In the early 20th century, the fortress served as a winter residence of the rulers of Bukhara. Currently, the fortress covers an area of four hectares. A major portion of the fortress was destroyed in 1920. Since 1947, the Bukhara State Museum-Reserve has operated within the fortress.