Lazăr High school, București

At the beginning of the year 1860, the ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza builds the 2nd secondary school in romanian language from Bucharest, naming it after the founder of schooling in the romanian language on the Wallachian land, Gheorghe Lazăr.

On May 20th 1890, the king Carol I signs the decree that confirms the setting up of the highschool, which will move in a new building near Cișmigiu, that will mix the Brâncoveanu style with the english neoclassical one.

After the year 1900, Lazăr Highschool becomes one of the most important in the country, and will be at the forefront of the education reform with its numerous accomplishments: establishing a museum and a library, constructing a modern gymnasium, creating a group of scouts, a choir and an orchestra, etc.

In 1931 a new wing is built, with laboratories, an amphitheatre and a buffet at the semi-basement. The pupils have numerous accomplishments in this period, especially the orchestra and the math circle, where the well known mathematician Dan Barbilian will be formed.

The highschool suffers through the stalinist era, its name being change to “Medium school, nr. 22”. The building was cleared to make room for a school center for girls, and the highschool moves entirely in a new building , the former space of the “Spiru Haret” high school. The mechanic Gheorghe Dinu hides in the school attic the Honorary Book of the highschool, saving it from destruction. In 1955, it comes back to its’ former name and mixt schools are founded, thus the boys can come back to their former building.

The highschool will consolidate its position at the top of the learning institutions of Romania during the 1960s-1970s, and it remains one of the most important high schools during the communist era and after the 1989 Revolution. Through its long tenure, the high school was the home of numerous personalities, who were formed here and whose qualities and skills were honed.

Even today “Gheorghe Lazăr” remains one of the best high school in Romania, not only in Bucharest, and can be proud of its’ pupils, always eager to perform.