The transition from traditional education to modern education in the Ottoman Empire began in the 18th century, and military schools were first opened to train qualified officers for the army. The Tanzimat Edict, which was one of the most substantial steps of modernization and was declared in 1839, also pioneered changes in social, political, economic, and cultural areas. The innovations related to education were not included in the Tanzimat Edict directly, but it was understood that qualified individuals should be trained to make new practices and ensure the continuity of the Empire. This could be done with the modern education system and institutions instead of primary schools (sıbyan mektebi) and madrasahs. At the beginning of the transition period, training was provided in the existing structures, but due to the emergence of new education levels and the increase in students, the buildings began to be inadequate. So, the construction of new education buildings was emphasized. In the 19th century, new educational institutions such as primary schools (iptidai), intermediary schools (rüşdiye), high schools (idadi), sultani, vocational schools, and teacher’s schools began to operate, and new structures began to be built throughout the country. 

In the Ottoman Empire, people from different religious and ethnic groups lived together for centuries. As a matter of fact, in the 19th century, not only Muslims but also non-Muslims and foreigners started to open new schools throughout the country. The Reform Edict of 1856 and the Regulation of Public Education of 1869 provided the legal infrastructure in this regard. Thus, non-Muslims and foreigners were able to convey their educational approaches in their schools. 

The province of Edirne, which is adjacent to the capital Istanbul, is also a region where many new practices have been implemented and has hosted many people with different religious beliefs and identities. Bulgarians were one of the important groups living in the region, and they opened many schools in the province. According to the documents of the Ottoman Archives, 111 of the 472 Bulgarian schools in the country in the last quarter of the 19th century were located in Edirne province. As for the information in the 1891-1892 Edirne provincial yearbook, there are five Bulgarian boys’ schools and seven Bulgarian girls’ schools in the city center of Edirne. When these schools were opened by the Orthodox community, a Bulgarian Catholic School was also opened in the city. 

Bulgarian Catholic School was opened in the second half of the 19th century by the Resurrectionists, a group affiliated with the Polish Catholic sect, to spread the Catholic sect among the Bulgarians. This school first became operational in an existing wooden structure. A two-storey masonry building was built for the school in 1893, and after 1907 it turned into a magnificent structure with the addition of a new masonry building. In 1914, the Bulgarian Catholic School was confiscated by the Ottoman administration, and in the 1915-1916 academic year, the city’s first Girl’s Teachers School started to train in this building. Education was suspended during the First World War. Between 1918 and 1927, education was given again at the Bulgarian Catholic School, with the efforts of the Resurrectionists, who still exist in the region. When this group left Edirne in 1928, the education at the school ended. It was reopened in the 1960s with its original function. The building is still used as an educational institution today. 

The school has three floors and a basement floor. The short arm of the L-shaped building faces Balıkpazarı Street, and the long arm faces İzmir Street. According to the historical background and its architectural features, it is understood that the school is a structure consisting of two separate masses. So, the section, which is the short arm of the building and faces Balıkpazarı Street, was first built in 1893 and underwent extensive repairs in 1906 after the great fire in Kaleiçi. The long arm was also started to build in 1907.

The building was built with stone masonry in the basement and brick masonry on the upper floors. The effects of neoclassicism can be seen on the facades and in plan features. There are moldings between floors and pilasters between windows throughout the building. Different plan schemes were applied on the short and long arms of the L-shaped building, which were built in different periods. The main entrance door on the eastern facade of the long arm of the building opens into a entrance hall. There are administrative units in the corridor in the south wing of this hall. After the entrance hall, there is another corridor bounded by round arches with aluminum joinery. The classrooms and stairs are accessed from this corridor. A similar plan scheme was applied on the other floors as well. 

Although the building has undergone various repairs, functional and structural changes in the process, the fact that the building has survived is very important for understanding both the history of education and the educational heritage. This study is aimed to determine the historical, cultural, social, and architectural values of a Bulgarian educational building constructed in Edirne in the 19th century. The purpose of usage and architectural development of the building has been revealed in the Ottoman Archive documents. Its importance has been emphasized in the context of education and architectural history, and the necessity of its conservation has been indicated.