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 related functions such as a place of assembly or consultation (Arabic: michawara), an administrative area where the government's affairs are managed, or the place where the sultan historically held audiences, receptions and ceremonies. The name is sometimes also given to a larger area that encompasses the palace, such as the citadel or royal district of a city.