Right in front of you, you’ll spot a grand neoclassical entrance with four tall columns and two large flags-one blue-and-white, one yellow-and-white-hanging above a stone staircase, making the Pancyprian Gymnasium hard to miss!
Now, take a moment to stand still, breathe in, and let’s travel together-back over two hundred years. Imagine the soft clack of your shoes against the old stones as you join the ranks of curious students under the hot Cypriot sun. Here, opposite the archbishopric, stands a school that’s not just old, but legendary-the oldest still-operating high school in all of Cyprus!
It all started in 1812, when Cyprus was still under Ottoman rule, and a determined Archbishop Kyprianos, with perhaps a twinkle in his eye and a stubborn streak, decided to found the Hellenic School of Nicosia. Back then, parents probably worried more about their kids’ ink stains than their screen time!
Before this building stood, the Ellinomouseion-founded in 1753-once occupied this very spot. But the Pancyprian Gymnasium quickly became the place where sharp minds gathered, with lessons echoing through its corridors. The first principal, Delios Ioannis, took the lead in 1893, just as the school expanded to rival the lyceums of Greece-meaning lucky students here could march off to the University of Athens.
Now, if you think the students were just busy with exams, think again! Many fought in famous battles-like the Greek War of Independence, the Balkan Wars, and the EOKA struggle. Maybe there were students daydreaming at their desks, secretly heroic, just waiting for the bell to ring?
One night in 1920, a fire swept through and destroyed the original building, its shadows flickering over hidden corners. But out of the ashes, the school rose again, this time in elegant neoclassical style. Beneath the main entrance lies a crypt of secrets, where whispers say Archbishop Kyprianos plotted for freedom in hushed late-night meetings. Try not to accidentally join a secret society if you wander too close!
Today, the Severios Library holds over 60,000 manuscripts-enough for a lifetime’s worth of lost homework excuses. Step into its halls and you’d find the likes of Nobel winner Christopher Pissarides and several presidents of Cyprus among its alumni. Even famous professors taught here, such as novelist Lawrence Durrell and celebrated poets.
So as you stand here, imagine the generations of laughter, rebellion, and ambition swirling around you. A place of tradition, mystery, and a dash of adventure-the Pancyprian Gymnasium will always be the school where Cyprus’s story keeps marching on.
Ready to delve deeper into the grounds, notable alumni or the notable professors? Join me in the chat section for an enriching discussion.
