Mostar Gymnasium

Gimnazija Mostar is a gymnasium in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is called "Aleksa Šantić" gymnasium in honour of the eponymous poet, but nowadays, it is referred to as "Stara gimnazija."

The school was founded in 1893, and designed by the Czech architect František Blažek.  Gymnasium was completed in 1898, but the second part in 1902. It was actually during the Austro - Hungarian occupation of our country.

The building is the result of Austro - Hungarian desire to promote Bosnian national identity. Nowadays, this beautiful gymnasium is a national monument. The school was the most reputable school in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

It numbered 2,000 students, such as: Bosniaks, Bosnian Croats and Bosnian Serbs alike. The gymnasium was demolished during the Bosnian War. It is one of the first schools in post-war Bosnia and Herzegovina in which the integration of students from different ethnic groups was implemented. 

It is situated in the very centre of the town, next to the former front line which has divided the town into two spheres since the war.