Central High Schools of Mytilene

The Central High School of Mytilene is one of the city’s most imposing and historic buildings, with pronounced neoclassical features. Today it houses the Model General Lyceum of Mytilene, the 2nd General Lyceum and the 1st Primary School, and includes science and IT labs, libraries, classrooms and the historic assembly hall. The school’s roots go back to 1839, when it was founded by Metropolitan Meletios Photios with donations from wealthy Lesvians; it was inaugurated in 1841 as the city’s first Gymnasium. In the late 19th century, due to growing needs, a new two-storey building was erected to plans by architect Argyris Adalis, inaugurated in 1891 with the support of major benefactors Nikolaos Mitrelias and Sofoklis Vounatsos. Its architecture combines neoclassical elements with Doric and Ionic references, and the school has been a cradle of education and culture, with alumni including notable writers and intellectuals such as Stratis Myrivilis and Miltos Kountouras. During the Asia Minor Campaign and Catastrophe, the building served as a military hospital and a refuge for refugees, underscoring its multifaceted role in local and national history.