Carved portrait of Mary at ‘Holy Virgin Mary Subway Station’ in Tehran. Credit: Shayan Mehrabi / Tehran Picture Agency / CC BY 4.0
A new metro station named in honor of the Holy Virgin Mary is set to open in central Tehran, marking a significant addition to the city’s Line 6 after nearly a decade of construction. The Holy Virgin Mary Subway Station sits at the intersection of Ostad Nejatollahi and Karimkhan Zand streets, near the Armenian Cathedral, and serves one of the busiest areas in the Iranian capital.
The name was chosen to recognize Tehran’s Christian community and the revered status of Saint Mary in both Christianity and Islam.
Tehran Municipality proposed the name, and it was later approved by the relevant authorities. Officials said the decision reflects the city’s acknowledgment of cultural and religious diversity in the capital.
Religious and cultural context behind the name
Iran is home to one of the oldest Christian communities in the Middle East, with Armenian and Assyrian churches active for centuries.
While Christians represent a small minority, they are officially recognized under the Iranian Constitution and freely practice their faith.
In Islam, the Virgin Mary, known as Maryam, is highly venerated as the mother of Jesus (Isa), who is regarded as a prophet in the Quran. She is regarded as one of the most virtuous and honored women in Islamic tradition, with an entire chapter of the Quran named after her.
NEW:
🇮🇷 Iran opens the new “Holy Virgin Mary” metro station in Tehran.
The subway is filled with Christian symbols. pic.twitter.com/qXgS2Z2RPe
— Megatron (@Megatron_ron) October 13, 2025
Strategic location and urban integration
The station, located between Haft-e Tir Square and Vali-Asr Square, occupies a key position on Line 6.
Its placement along Karimkhan Street, a cultural and artistic hub, also shaped its design. According to Tehran Municipality spokesperson Abdolmotahhar Mohammadkhani, architects paid close attention to integrating the station with the city’s landscape and preserving the view of the nearby park.
Construction began in 2015 and required extensive underground work. The facility reaches a depth of 34 meters (111 feet) and covers about 11,000 square meters (118,400 square feet).
Mohammadkhani said the project involved excavating more than 102,000 cubic meters (3.6 million cubic feet) of earth, using 3,600 tons (7.9 million pounds) of rebar, and pouring 27,000 cubic meters (953,000 cubic feet) of concrete.
Around 6,000 square meters (64,600 square feet) of stonework were added throughout the structure to meet both safety and aesthetic standards.
Facility features and broader transport goals
The station will open with a northern entrance and 12 escalators. A second entrance is being built at the start of South Ostad Nejatollahi Street to increase passenger capacity. The facility is designed to handle heavy commuter traffic in central Tehran.
Mohammadkhani said the opening of the Holy Virgin Mary station is more than an engineering milestone—it aims to improve residents’ quality of life by reducing congestion, shortening commutes, and providing better access to cultural and commercial districts.
The project is part of a broader mid-October initiative that includes new developments on Lines 3 and 7. Despite financial constraints, city officials say Tehran Municipality remains committed to expanding its metro system to serve the city’s growing population.