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Prva gimnazija Sarajevo

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Prva gimnazija
Location
Map
Gimnazijska 3

Sarajevo

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Coordinates43°51′26.17″N 18°25′25.00″E / 43.8572694°N 18.4236111°E / 43.8572694; 18.4236111
Information
TypePublic, co-educational
Founded1879
PrincipalVelida Tinjak
Teaching staff57
Number of students700
Average class size20
LanguageBosnian and English
Colour(s)White and gold
Websitehttps://prva-gimnazija.edu.ba

Prva gimnazija Sarajevo (English: First Gymnasium Sarajevo) is the oldest secular secondary school in Bosnia and Herzegovina.[1] Established in 1879 during the Austro-Hungarian administration, it has played a pivotal role in the development of modern education in the region. [2]

History

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Class posing in front of the school building, 1930.

Prva gimnazija was founded on 6 November 1879 by decree of the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph I, as the first state-run interconfessional secondary school in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The inaugural class enrolled 42 male students. Initially, the school operated in temporary locations due to a fire that destroyed its intended building. [3] In 1891, it moved into a purpose-built facility at its current location on Gimnazijska Street, designed in the Neo-Renaissance style by architects Karlo Paržik and August Butsch.[4]

The chosen site was located adjacent to the former Officers’ Casino, which today houses the Armed Forces Hall of Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the beginning of the 1891/1892 academic year, the gymnasium officially moved into the new premises, where it remains to this day. At the time, the school enrolled as many as 267 students.[5]

Soon after, within only a few years, two additional schools were established in the immediate vicinity—one on the right and one on the left side of the original building—forming an educational complex.[6] The shared courtyard was organized into a playground, now known as Metalac, which would go on to play a notable role in Sarajevo’s sporting history.[7]

In subsequent years, yhe school underwent several name changes: from “Imperial and Royal Real Gymnasium” to “Classical Gymnasium” in 1883, then to “Great Gymnasium,” and finally to “First Gymnasium” in 1922.[8] Originally a male-only institution, it began admitting female students in 1919.

During World War II, the school was closed due to a typhus outbreak and later repurposed as a military hospital. It resumed educational activities after the war. Throughout the Siege of Sarajevo (1992–1995), despite significant damage to the building, the school continued to operate, adapting to wartime conditions.[9]

Architecture

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The school’s building, completed in 1891, is a notable example of Austro-Hungarian Neo-Renaissance architecture.[10] It features spacious classrooms, administrative offices, sports halls, a cafeteria, a library, a cinema hall, and a museum. In 2011, the building was designated a National Monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina.[11]

Museum

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In 1989, to commemorate its 110th anniversary, Prva gimnazija established a school museum in collaboration with the Museum of Literature and Theater Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina.[12] The museum showcases the history of education in the country and survived the wartime period with its collection intact. Post-war restoration efforts were supported by the City of Sarajevo and other contributors.[13]

Awards and recognition

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Annual Report of the Real Gymnasium for the 1881/82 School Year

Prva gimnazija has received numerous accolades throughout its history, including:[14]

Notable alumni

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References

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  1. ^ "Školska zgrada – Prva gimnazija Sarajevo". prva-gimnazija.edu.ba (in Bosnian). Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  2. ^ "Tuzlak: Prva gimnazija je simbol Sarajeva". slobodnaevropa.org (in Bosnian). 21 January 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  3. ^ "Prva gimnazija otvara svoja vrata gostima na 138. rođendan". klix.ba (in Bosnian). 4 April 2017. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  4. ^ "Prva gimnazija otvara svoja vrata gostima na 138. rođendan". klix.ba (in Bosnian). 4 April 2017. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  5. ^ "Prva gimnazija ove godine obilježava 140 godina od osnivanja". radiosarajevo.ba (in Bosnian). 4 April 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  6. ^ "Graciozna Stara dama od Franje Josipa do današnjeg dana suvereno vlada tronom. Ovo je priča o Prvoj gimnaziji". raport.ba (in Bosnian). 11 February 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  7. ^ "Graciozna Stara dama od Franje Josipa do današnjeg dana suvereno vlada tronom. Ovo je priča o Prvoj gimnaziji". raport.ba (in Bosnian). 11 February 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  8. ^ "Graciozna Stara dama od Franje Josipa do današnjeg dana suvereno vlada tronom. Ovo je priča o Prvoj gimnaziji". raport.ba (in Bosnian). 11 February 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  9. ^ "Historijat škole – Prva gimnazija Sarajevo". prva-gimnazija.edu.ba (in Bosnian). Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  10. ^ "Prva gimnazija ove godine obilježava 140 godina od osnivanja". radiosarajevo.ba (in Bosnian). 4 April 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  11. ^ "Prva gimnazija: Škola naših nobelovaca obilježila 140 godina postojanja". radiosarajevo.ba (in Bosnian). 9 April 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  12. ^ "Muzej sarajevske Prve gimnazije otvorio svoja vrata povodom Međunarodnog dana muzeja". tntportal.ba (in Bosnian). 18 May 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  13. ^ "Muzej sarajevske Prve gimnazije otvorio svoja vrata povodom Međunarodnog dana muzeja". tntportal.ba (in Bosnian). 18 May 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  14. ^ "Nagrade i priznanja – Prva gimnazija Sarajevo". prva-gimnazija.edu.ba (in Bosnian). Retrieved 15 April 2025.
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