In Genesis, where was the Ark’s entrance placed?

In Genesis, the Ark’s entrance was placed in its side.

Genesis 6:16 gives Noah architectural instructions for the vessel and says that he should set its entrance in the side. The same verse also mentions a roof or opening and three decks, creating a compact description of the Ark’s arrangement.

The verse does not describe a hinged door, ladder, steering mechanism, or a separate entrance for each animal. Later artistic depictions often add such details, but those features are not specified in Genesis. The wording about the side is therefore the precise textual answer.

The Ark’s entrance is also important to the narrative structure: Genesis later says that Noah and those with him entered the Ark, and that the Lord shut him in. The account treats the vessel as a sealed refuge during the waters, not as a ship operated by a crew navigating toward a destination.