Place el-Hedim

The great square of Meknes, built by Sultan Moulay Ismail in the 17th century as the ceremonial forecourt to Bab Mansour. Its name means "square of demolition" — the stones that paved it came from the ruins of a Merinid palace Moulay Ismail had torn down to build his imperial capital. Jemaa el-Fna gets the attention. Place el-Hedim is bigger, emptier, and more honest.