The Historic School
The School of Chios has operated on its current site since 1792, at the suggestion of Saint Athanasios of Paros. It was a center of the Enlightenment, with the great Greek Enlightenment thinker Adamantios Korais — a native of Chios — playing a significant role. He maintained regular correspondence with Neofytos Vamvas, who directed the school. Other notable teachers included Konstantinos Vardalachos and Ioannis Tselepis. Before the destruction of Chios in 1822, the school operated as a model institution with a large library and printing house, drawing students from across Greece and even from America.
After the 1822 destruction, the school reopened in 1839 as the Chios Gymnasium, and in 1863 was recognized as equivalent to schools in free Greece. Notable directors included university professors, historians, and the first rector of the University of Thessaloniki. Among the faculty, the Byzantinologist and academic Konstantinos Amantos held a place of particular distinction.
The Building
The school building is a protected neoclassical structure. It features a front courtyard with a pebbled yard and a staircase leading to a portico, where busts of two prominent figures are displayed: Andreas Syngros, a great benefactor of Chios and Greece, and Konstantinos Amantos. The characteristic local stone from Thymiana is visible in the columns, central facade wall, and window surrounds. Inside, there is a large events hall, six classrooms, an amphitheatre, and spaces for workshops.
Recent History
The historic building housed the Chios Lyceum from 1970 to 1979, then the 1st Lyceum of Chios from 1979 to 1994. Since 1994, it has been home to the 1st Junior High School of Chios.
