The Barlaeus Gymnasium is a well-known secondary school in Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...

, The Netherlands. It is one of the five categorial gymnasia

Gymnasium (school)

A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...

 in Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...

, The Netherlands

Education in the Netherlands

Education in the Netherlands is characterized by division: education is orientated toward the needs and background of the pupil. Education is divided over schools for different age groups, some of which are divided in streams for different educational levels...

, the other four being Vossius Gymnasium

Vossius Gymnasium

Vossius Gymnasium is one of the five categorial gymnasia in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, the other being Barlaeus Gymnasium, Ignatius Gymnasium, Cygnus Gymnasium and Het 4e Gymnasium. It is named after Gerardus Joannes Ernie Vossius, and was established in 1926....

, Ignatius Gymnasium

Ignatius Gymnasium

Saint Ignatius Gymnasium is one of the five categorial gymnasia in Amsterdam, Netherlands. With the Vossius Gymnasium and the Barlaeus Gymnasium, it is among the most prestigious schools in Amsterdam...

, Het 4e gymnasium

Het 4e Gymnasium

Het 4e Gymnasium is a Public Gymnasium in the Netherlands founded in 2005. Syne oktober 2008 the school is located in the "Houthaven" area in Amsterdam...

 and Cygnus Gymnasium. It offers a classical curriculum, including studies in Latin

Latin

Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...

 and Greek

Greek language

Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...

.

Established in 1885, the Barlaeus Gymnasium is the oldest of the three gymnasia, although its origins stretch back to the Latijnse scholen (Latin schools) whose existence is documented as far back as 1594. It is named after Caspar Barlaeus

Caspar Barlaeus

Caspar Barlaeus was a Dutch polymath and Renaissance humanist, a theologian, poet, and historian.-Life:...

. The name was altered in 1927. Before this it was known as Het Stedelijk Gymnasium. Famous alumni include politicians Frits Bolkestein

Frits Bolkestein

Frederik "Frits" Bolkestein is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He served as a Member of the House of Representatives from 16 January 1978, until 5 November 1982, when he became State Secretary for Economic Affairs from 5 November 1982, until 14 July...

, Els Borst

Els Borst

Else Borst-Eilers is a former Dutch Politician, she led D66 in the 1998 election campaign and served as Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport for eight years, and the last four as Deputy Prime Minister. Before entering politics she had a career in medicine.-Education and Academic Career:Borst...

 and writer Willem Frederik Hermans

Willem Frederik Hermans

Willem Frederik Hermans was a Dutch author. He is considered one of the three most important authors in the Netherlands in the postwar period, along with Harry Mulisch and Gerard Reve...

. Thanks to its many well-known alumni, as well as its propensity to court controversy, the school enjoys great name recognition throughout the Netherlands.

The school stands in front of music venue Paradiso

Paradiso (Amsterdam)

Paradiso is an iconic rock music venue and cultural center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.-History:It is housed in a converted former church building that dates from the nineteenth century and that was used until 1965 as the meeting hall for a liberal Dutch religious group known as the "Vrije...

 and it's close to the Leidseplein

Leidseplein

The Leidseplein is a square in central Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Lying in the southwest of the Grachtengordel district of Amsterdam, the Leidseplein is immediately northeast of the Singelgracht canal. It is situated on the crossroads of the Weteringschans, the Marnixstraat, and the Leidsestraat...

.

Former students

• A. G. van Hamel
• Xaviera Hollander
• Frits Bolkestein
  Frits Bolkestein
  Frederik "Frits" Bolkestein is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He served as a Member of the House of Representatives from 16 January 1978, until 5 November 1982, when he became State Secretary for Economic Affairs from 5 November 1982, until 14 July...
  
  
• Hubertine Heijermans
  Hubertine Heijermans
  Hubertine Heijermans is a Dutch painter, a multi-plate etching artist and printmaker.-Early life:Hubertine Heijermans was born in Amsterdam. on 8 January 1936. She was educated at the Barlaeus Gymnasium, took painting lessons from 1954-1957 with Jos Rovers, and then won a scholarship for the...
  
  
• Manja Croiset