Maydan al-Shajara is one of the main public squares in central Benghazi, a tree-lined open space in the heart of the city's commercial district. Before 2011 it was a typical North African city square — cafes around the edges, men sitting in the shade, traffic circling — and it is returning to something like that function as the city stabilises. The square is surrounded by some of the older commercial buildings of Benghazi's pre-revolutionary centre.
The square serves as an orientation point for the old city: the covered market, the Atiq Mosque, and several of the remaining Italian colonial buildings are within easy walking distance. The tree cover that gives the square its name is a welcome relief in the heat of summer. The immediate vicinity is one of the more accessible areas of the old city for visitors, and the surrounding streets have some street food and café options.