Preserving history: UNESCO and Italy to revitalize Beirut's Mar Mikhael train station

As part of UNESCO's flagship initiative LiBeirut, an agreement was signed on Monday between UNESCO and Italy to finance the restoration and rehabilitation of the industrial heritage assets of the Beirut Mar Mikhael Train Station. 

The project, backed by a grant of €2,000,000, aims to preserve the station's historical significance, which dates back to 1894 but was abandoned during the Civil War and heavily impacted by the Beirut port explosion on August 4, 2020.

The signing ceremony occurred at the Mar Mikhael Train Station and was attended by various dignitaries.

This initiative is part of a comprehensive intervention funded by Italy to safeguard the industrial heritage of the old Mar Mikhael train station and open up the space to the public. 

UN-Habitat will undertake the first component of the Italian-funded intervention and focus on creating a green public space within the train station area to benefit the people of Beirut. 

The second component enables UNESCO to preserve the site's original function and cultural significance while fostering social and cultural connections through a platform for artistic creativity and experience.

Alessandra Piermattei, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) Beirut Director, highlighted the two interconnected projects by UNESCO and UN-Habitat. The combined effort is set to rehabilitate 10,000 m² of the Mar Mikhael Train Station, leading to improved quality of life for Beirut's citizens and reactivating the economic and social development of the area.

Leveraging UNESCO's expertise in cultural heritage conservation, six heritage buildings from different historic periods within the site will be rehabilitated. The restoration will adhere to international standards and good practices, utilizing original materials and building techniques to preserve the site's authenticity.

Train stations hold significant value as elements of industrial heritage, and today, they are being reimagined as multifunctional spaces for social and cultural exchanges. 

The Mar Mikhael Train Station, located at the heart of Beirut, boasts enormous potential as a dynamic space where citizens can connect and create meaningful experiences. 

However, the site has suffered from abandonment and, more severely, the devastation caused by the August 4, 2020 blast.