According to Genesis, what shape or feature provided Noah’s Ark with its entrance?

According to Genesis, Noah’s Ark had a door in its side.

Genesis 6:16 gives construction instructions that include a door placed in the side of the Ark. The same verse mentions an opening or window and three levels. The text does not describe hinges, a ramp, a steering system, or a second entrance.

The side door is important because it provides a practical access point to a tall, enclosed vessel. Later artwork often depicts a large doorway with a ramp leading into the Ark, but Genesis itself does not explicitly mention a ramp. Illustrations also vary in whether the door is shown near the bow, stern, or centre because the biblical account does not specify its exact position along the side.

This detail is separate from the statement that God shut Noah in after everyone entered. Genesis 7:16 says that the Lord shut the door behind Noah, linking the physical entrance with the narrative’s transition from preparation to the Flood.