Even if we delve deep into the past, it’s unlikely anyone will ever determine where the first educational site in Plovdiv was—perhaps in the Roman city, or even earlier. What we do know for certain is that the Shahbedin Mosque (Imaret) had a large library and school, and that the building of the Greek school in Plovdiv was the first in the city specifically constructed as an educational institution. It was built in 1780 on Dzhambaz Tepe. Before that, children were taught to read and write in church vestibules or in the homes of teachers.
Another notable building, which still serves its original purpose today, is the Yellow School building, a site every visitor passes on their way to the Ancient Theater in the old town of Plovdiv.
Its history begins in 1850 with the establishment of the renowned "Sts. Cyril and Methodius" School. It was the first school in the world named after the Slavic saints. On May 11 1851 this school became the first to celebrate that date not only as a commemoration of the saints but also as a school holiday. This marked the beginning of the Bulgarian tradition of celebrating the Day of Bulgarian Education and Culture and the Slavonic Alphabet.
The rapid development of Plovdiv’s Eparchial Class School "Sts. Cyril and Methodius" which later became a high school, and its exceptional academic results shattered long-standing Greek cliché claiming that Bulgarians were incapable of intellectual work and that scientific knowledge could not be taught in Bulgarian. Within just a few decades, the school helped reclaim the city from Hellenism, restored its Bulgarian identity, and transformed it into the country’s largest cultural center and a bastion of the Bulgarian national spirit.
It was during this era that the story of the “Yellow School” building began. In 1865, a decision was made to transform the renowned eparchial school "Sts. Cyril and Methodius" into a high school and to house it in a specially constructed building. Special permission from the Sultan was requested for this project, and it was granted in 1866. The news was even published in the "Gaida" newspaper in Constantinople.
Construction of the Yellow School began in March 1868, and it was overseen by master builder Todor Damov—known as Master Dole—a member of the Bratsigovo guild of builders. He left a lasting legacy in the country’s architectural and cultural heritage. The construction, symbolizing the struggle for ecclesiastical independence and education in Bulgarian, faced numerous challenges from supporters of the Greek clergy but was completed within a few months. With great effort, the foundation was laid, and the two historical plaques—inscribed in Turkish and Bulgarian—were placed. The inscriptions read: “By the gracious permission of His Imperial Majesty Sultan Abdul Aziz, this national central school was founded with the assistance of the patriotic Bulgarians of the Plovdiv region, March 17 1868”. To this day, visitors heading to the Ancient Theater inevitably pass by the northeastern corner of the two-story building, where these plaques can still be seen.
The new academic year of 1868 - 1869 for the Eparchial Class School "Sts. Cyril and Methodius", now the first high school in Plovdiv, began in the newly constructed building.
In the first post-liberation academic year, 143 students were enrolled in the high school. By the 1879–1880 academic year, the number of students had grown to about 600. Among its alumni were prominent figures such as Ivan Vazov, Petar Bonev (leader of the Perushtitsa Uprising in 1876), Todor Kableshkov, and Dimcho Debelyanov. After the liberation, notable educators such as P.R. Slaveykov, Petko Karavelov, and others taught there.
As the building quickly became too small to accommodate the growing number of students, the regional administration decided to construct a new building, which is featured in our article about Bulgaria’s oldest high school.
In 1927, the “Yellow School” was declared a “national antiquity”. Today, it is one of Plovdiv’s immovable cultural monuments, with a “national significance” designation.
Since 1964, the building has been used by the Academy of Dance, Music, and Fine Arts. Recently, in a video podcast by Pod Tepeto, it was revealed that reconstruction of the building has finally begun—an increasingly necessary and urgent effort to restore the former glory of Plovdiv’s oldest educational building.
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