Bežigrad Grammar School
Encyclopedia
Bežigrad Gymnasium is a selective coeducational state secondary school for students aged between 15 to 20. It is named after the Bežigrad
district in Ljubljana
, Slovenia
, where it is located. It is famous for its quality and for eminent alumni
and is regarded as one of the top grammar schools in Slovenia.
of Ljubljana, then capital of the Duchy of Carniola
. In 1773 the Jesuit order was abolished and the Gymnasium became a state institution of the Habsburg Monarchy
. Until 1889, it was the only grammar school in Ljubljana. In that year, the Poljane Grammar School was founded and the old institution was renamed to "First Gymnasium of Ljubljana".
Most of the education process was in German language
until 1907, when the Austrian
government introduced Slovene as the main language of education in most grammar schools in Carniola
. The First Gymnasium of Ljubljana began conducting parallel classes in German the following year. Later they were merged into a new grammar school, called "Imperial Royal Gymnasium with German Language of Instruction in Ljubljana". The new school, known colloquially as "The German Gymnasium" or the "Third Gymnasium", was the predecessor of the current Bežigrad Gymnasium. According to the official statistic of the time, most pupils regarded themselves as ethnic Germans, although some Slovenes also attended the schools. After the establishment of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in 1918, the school was officially renamed to "Third Gymnasium in Ljubljana" and Slovene was introduced as the main language of instruction, although German classes were kept until 1924. In 1929, the school was renamed to "Classical Gymnasium". In 1936, it was moved to the current location in the Bežigrad district. When grammar schools were abolished under communism in 1982 the school was renamed to the "School for Sciences and Mathematics". Among the locals, it became known as the "Bežigrad Gymnasium". In 1990, the name was adopted as the official one and the school once again adopted a grammar school curriculum
.
An International School with English as the primary language of instruction is also part of the Bežigrad Grammar School. It also runs a small (max 20 students) and highly-selective class of the International Baccalaureate with results being consistently among the top 10% worldwide. Selection is done in the end of the second year on school (grade 11).
Professors:
Students:
Bežigrad
The Bežigrad District or simply Bežigrad is a city district in the northern part of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. It encompasses the area between the southern rail line to the south, the Upper Carniola rail line to the west, the highway loop to the north, and Šmartno Street and the Žale...
district in Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
, Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
, where it is located. It is famous for its quality and for eminent alumni
Alumnus
An alumnus , according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is "a graduate of a school, college, or university." An alumnus can also be a former member, employee, contributor or inmate as well as a former student. In addition, an alumna is "a female graduate or former student of a school, college,...
and is regarded as one of the top grammar schools in Slovenia.
History
The school was founded in 1596 as a Jesuit educational institution and it was located in the town centerCenter (Ljubljana)
The Center District or simply Center is a city district in the center of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. It has an area of about . Its major thoroughfares are Slovenian Street , Čop Street , Cankar Street , Wolf Street , Trubar Street , and Miklošič Street , and the major squares are Congress...
of Ljubljana, then capital of the Duchy of Carniola
Duchy of Carniola
The Duchy of Carniola was an administrative unit of the Holy Roman Empire and the Habsburg Monarchy from 1364 to 1918. Its capital was Ljubljana...
. In 1773 the Jesuit order was abolished and the Gymnasium became a state institution of the Habsburg Monarchy
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
. Until 1889, it was the only grammar school in Ljubljana. In that year, the Poljane Grammar School was founded and the old institution was renamed to "First Gymnasium of Ljubljana".
Most of the education process was in German language
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
until 1907, when the Austrian
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
government introduced Slovene as the main language of education in most grammar schools in Carniola
Carniola
Carniola was a historical region that comprised parts of what is now Slovenia. As part of Austria-Hungary, the region was a crown land officially known as the Duchy of Carniola until 1918. In 1849, the region was subdivided into Upper Carniola, Lower Carniola, and Inner Carniola...
. The First Gymnasium of Ljubljana began conducting parallel classes in German the following year. Later they were merged into a new grammar school, called "Imperial Royal Gymnasium with German Language of Instruction in Ljubljana". The new school, known colloquially as "The German Gymnasium" or the "Third Gymnasium", was the predecessor of the current Bežigrad Gymnasium. According to the official statistic of the time, most pupils regarded themselves as ethnic Germans, although some Slovenes also attended the schools. After the establishment of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in 1918, the school was officially renamed to "Third Gymnasium in Ljubljana" and Slovene was introduced as the main language of instruction, although German classes were kept until 1924. In 1929, the school was renamed to "Classical Gymnasium". In 1936, it was moved to the current location in the Bežigrad district. When grammar schools were abolished under communism in 1982 the school was renamed to the "School for Sciences and Mathematics". Among the locals, it became known as the "Bežigrad Gymnasium". In 1990, the name was adopted as the official one and the school once again adopted a grammar school curriculum
Curriculum
See also Syllabus.In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults...
.
Profile
The Bežigrad Grammar School is regarded as the most selective in Slovenia. Admission is based on primary school performance and standardized tests. There are no residence requirements for admission. The school has consistently performed well in the Matura.An International School with English as the primary language of instruction is also part of the Bežigrad Grammar School. It also runs a small (max 20 students) and highly-selective class of the International Baccalaureate with results being consistently among the top 10% worldwide. Selection is done in the end of the second year on school (grade 11).
Notable alumni and professors
Several notable professors and pupils are associated with the Bežigrad Grammar School.Professors:
- Lavo ČermeljLavo CermeljLavo Čermelj, Italianized in Lavo Cermeli was a Slovene physicist, political activist, publicist and author...
, physicist, publicist and political activist - Edvard KocbekEdvard KocbekEdvard Kocbek was a Slovenian poet, writer, essayist, translator, political activist, and resistance fighter. He is considered as one of the best authors who have written in Slovene, and one of the best Slovene poets after Prešeren...
, poet and political activist - Dragotin LončarDragotin LončarDragotin Lončar was a Slovenian historian, editor and Social Democratic politician.He was born as Karel Lončar in Selo near Lukovica in Upper Carniola. After finishing the State Gymnasium in Ljubljana, he studied history at the Charles University in Prague, graduating in 1904...
, historian
Students:
- Barbara BrezigarBarbara BrezigarBarbara Brezigar is a Slovenian lawyer and politician. She currently serves as State Prosecutor General of the Republic of Slovenia.She was born in a middle class family in Ljubljana as Barbara Gregorin...
, politician and jurist - Stane DolancStane DolancStane Dolanc was a Yugoslav and Slovenian communist politician, one of Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito's closest collaborators and one of the most influential people in Yugoslav federal politics in the 1970s and 1980s...
, Yugoslav Communist official and politician - Toussaint HočevarToussaint HocevarToussaint Hočevar or Toussaint Hocevar was a Slovenian American economic historian.- Biography :Hočevar was born in Ljubljana, Slovenia, then part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. He spent his childhood in the small town of Vrhnika near Ljubljana, where his father served as mayor...
, historian and economist - Sara IsakovičSara IsakovicSara Isakovič is a freestyle swimmer from Slovenia. She spent much of her childhood in Dubai. Isakovič was a member of the Žito Gorenjka Radovljica Swimming Club from Radovljica, Slovenia and trained under the supervision of coach Miha Potočnik.Isakovič competed for Slovenia at the 2004 Summer...
, swimmer, Olympic medalist - Taja KrambergerTaja KrambergerTaja Kramberger is a Slovenian poet, translator, essayist and historical anthropologist.She was born in Ljubljana, Slovenia. She has finished undergraduate studies of history at the , where she studied also archaeology , but left it out when she became engaged in the literary field and...
, poet and historian - Katarina KresalKatarina KresalKatarina Kresal is a Slovenian politician. She is the current Minister of the Interior.Born in Ljubljana, Kresal studied law at the University of Ljubljana. She entered politics in 2007, when she was elected as a compromise candidate for the president of the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia...
, politician, president of the Liberal Democracy of SloveniaLiberal Democracy of SloveniaLiberal Democracy of Slovenia is a liberal political party in Slovenia. It is led by Katarina Kresal and is a member of the Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party... - Ljubo SircLjubo SircLjubo Sirc CBE is a British-Slovene economist and prominent dissident from the former Yugoslavia.-Life and work:He was born in Kranj, then part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes in a wealthy and renowned family of Slovene and Yugoslav patriots...
, economist - Uroš SlokarUroš SlokarUroš Slokar is a Slovenian professional basketball player, formerly of the NBA's Toronto Raptors.-Pro career:After playing two seasons in the Slovenian basketball league, Slokar moved to Italy's Serie A in 2003, where he represented Benneton Treviso and Pallalcesto Amatori Udine...
, basketball player - Bojan ŠtihBojan ŠtihBojan Štih , was a Slovene literary critic, stage director, and essayist. He was one of the most influential figures in modern Slovene theatre after 1945....
, stage director, literary critic and essayist - Slavoj ŽižekSlavoj ŽižekSlavoj Žižek is a Slovenian philosopher, critical theorist working in the traditions of Hegelianism, Marxism and Lacanian psychoanalysis. He has made contributions to political theory, film theory, and theoretical psychoanalysis....
, philosopher
External links
- Gimnazija Bežigrad: International School
- Gimnazija Bežigrad (in SloveneSloveniaSlovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
)