Mechouar

For the municipality of Casablanca, see Mechouar, Casablanca.
Place Lalla Aouda, a former mechouar in Meknes, Morocco (part of the 17th–18th century Kasbah of Moulay Ismail)

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.[1][2][3] The name is sometimes also given to a larger area encompassing the palace, such as the citadel or royal district of a city.[4][5]

  1. ^ Abadie, Louis (1994-01-01). Tlemcen, au passé retrouvé (in French). Editions J. Gandini. ISBN 9782906431027.
  2. ^ Arnold, Felix (2017). Islamic Palace Architecture in the Western Mediterranean: A History. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780190624552.
  3. ^ Harrell, Richard S.; Sobelman, Harvey, eds. (2004). A Dictionary of Moroccan Arabic. Georgetown University Press. p. 88. ISBN 9781589011038.
  4. ^ Bel, A.; Yalaoui, M. (2012). "Tilimsān". In Bearman, P.; Bianquis, Th.; Bosworth, C.E.; van Donzel, E.; Heinrichs, W.P. (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. Brill.
  5. ^ M. Bloom, Jonathan; S. Blair, Sheila, eds. (2009). "Architecture". The Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195309911.