Lebanon lays foundation stone for restoration of Mar Mikhael train station in Beirut

Public Works Minister Fayez Rasamny on Thursday laid the foundation stone for the restoration of the historic Mar Mikhael train station in Beirut, joined by Culture Minister Ghassan Salameh, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, and Italian Embassy chargé d’affaires Silvia Tosi.

Rasamny highlighted the symbolic value of Lebanon’s long-dormant railway network, saying the tracks “were never just iron and stone, but bridges that connected cities, people and economies. They carried ambition and innovation, and remain etched in our collective memory.”

He said the revival of the station represents more than a renovation effort. “What matters today is that life has returned to this station, and with it the hope that these tracks will one day reconnect our cities,” he told attendees.

The project, supported by international partners, aims not only to preserve the station’s historic buildings and trains but also to transform the site into a space for memory, culture, and creativity—while keeping it ready for any future revival of Lebanon’s railway network.

“It is more than a restoration project,” Rasamny said. “It is an act of resilience. This place, long neglected and scarred by the tragedy of August 4, is being reborn as a space for life, art, and community.”