court of honor
Some 16th century symmetrical Western European country houses built on U-shaped ground plans resulted in a sheltered central door in a main range that was embraced between projecting wings, but the formalized cour d’honneur is first found in the great palaces and mansions of 17th century Europe, where it forms the principal approach and ceremonial entrance to the building. Technically, the term cour d’honneur can be used of any large building whether public or residential, ancient or modern, which has a symmetrical courtyard set apart in this way, at which the honored visitor arrives. (Buffalo, 2017)