Mihai Viteazul National College

In 1865, Saint Sava National College, bursting at the seams with eager minds, needed to find a solution. Two gymnasium classes were split off, forming the seed of what would eventually blossom into Mihai Viteazul National College. Mihai Viteazul National College wasn’t always at its current grand location on Pache Protopopescu Boulevard. For thirty years, it was a nomadic institution, holding classes in various locations before finally settling in the yard of the Lutheran Church. Imagine the lively debates and hushed studies held within those temporary walls. Officially established as Michael the Great Gymnasium by Prince Carol in 1867, Mihai Viteazul National College quickly became a hub of intellectual ferment. Its students, full of youthful idealism, even showed solidarity with the 1907 Romanian Peasants’ Revolt, a testament to their social conscience. World War I brought a period of disruption. During the Central Powers’ occupation, the school was evacuated, its precious archives destroyed, and classes suspended. It wasn’t until after the war that the dream of a permanent home began to take shape. Land was acquired in 1914 by the Ministry of Education, and in 1921, the cornerstone was laid for the magnificent building you see before you. The main building was largely completed by 1928, a beacon of hope in a rapidly changing world. However, the tumultuous 20th century wasn’t done with Mihai Viteazul National College. During World War II, the school was transformed into a field hospital, its halls echoing with the murmurs of the wounded rather than the lively discussions of students. The early years of the communist regime brought further upheaval. A spontaneous student protest, ignited by the fervor of youthful dissent, resulted in the auditorium, built in 1937, burning down. Four students, including Sorin Bottez, were handed harsh prison sentences for their role in the protest. The school’s chapel, a quiet space for reflection, was transformed into a gymnastics room, though the cross shapes on the high windows remain as a silent reminder of its former purpose. The school itself was even moved, the building briefly housing a workers’ school before eventually returning to its rightful purpose. Renamed School nr. 13, it regained its honored title as Mihai Viteazul National College in 1969, a symbol of resilience and the enduring power of education. In 1996, it was officially declared a national college, cementing its place among Romania’s most prestigious educational institutions. More recently, in 2011, with a student body of 1,200 strong, the building underwent a thorough restoration. The scars of the past have been healed, and Mihai Viteazul National College stands as a testament to generations of students who have walked its halls, seeking knowledge and shaping the future. Today, Mihai Viteazul National College continues to nurture bright minds and inspire future leaders. Its rich history, marked by both triumph and adversity, is woven into the very fabric of this remarkable institution.