Mechouar

Mechouar or meshwar (Arabic: مشور, romanized: mashwar, meshwar; Spanish: mexuar; French: méchouar) is a type of location, typically a courtyard within a palace or a public square at the entrance of a palace, in the Maghreb (western North Africa) or in historic al-Andalus (Muslim Spain and Portugal). It can serve various functions such as a place of assembly or consultation (Arabic: michawara), an administrative area where the government's affairs are managed. It was the place where the sultan historically held audiences, receptions and ceremonies. The name is sometimes also given to a larger area encompassing the palace, such as the citadel or royal district of a city.