Școala Centrală National College

Școala Centrală National College is an institution of pre-primary, primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary public education located at 3-5 Icoanei Street, Sector 2, Bucharest, Romania. It functioned along the passing of time under many other names, most notably Pensionatul Domnesc de Fete. It serves schooling for the classes 0 to 12th grade, that is, from pre-primary school up to high school.
During the communist period, Școala Centrală was known as Zoia Kosmodemianskaia, a name which was ascribed to this educational institution for political reasons. After the Romanian Revolution of 1989, more specifically in 1994, the school's name was changed to Școala Centrală and bilingual French education was introduced for the classes with both humanist and exact sciences profiles pertaining to high school.
The school building, completed in 1890, is listed as a historic monument by Romania's Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs. It was designed by Romanian architect Ion Mincu, renowned for developing the Romanian revival style.

Educational status

The Central School of Bucharest is considered a good to very good high school in educational regards in Bucharest and nationwide in Romania, both in terms of the admission averages for high school as well as regarding the intellectual performances of the pupils at various national scholarly olympics and international contests as well.

Architectural style

The building is a masterpiece of neo-Romanian architecture, designed by Ion Mincu, being the second building erected in this style. Its beauty and prestige granted it the title of historical monument in the Romanian registry of historical monuments.

Other usage

In 1918, the building was used during the Austrian occupation of Bucharest throughout late World War I as the headquarters of the local post.