El Hedim Square

Place el-Hedim is the great public square at the heart of Meknes, laid out under Sultan Moulay Ismail as a ceremonial forecourt to his imperial city. Bordered on one side by the monumental Bab Mansour gate and on the other by the entrance to a covered market, it functions today as the lively social hub of the medina. In the evenings storytellers, musicians and food stalls fill the space, echoing its older tradition of gathering and spectacle. Cafés along its edges make it a natural starting point for exploring the districts.