Saint Sava National College
Encyclopedia
The Saint Sava National College (Colegiul Naţional Sfântul Sava) is the oldest and one of the most prestigious high schools in Bucharest
, Romania
.
The College is the direct descendant of the Princely Academy of Saint Sava
, which was divided in 1864 by Prince
Alexandru Ioan Cuza into the University of Bucharest
and the present high school. During the Communist era
, its name was changed to Nicolae Bălcescu
High School.
Saint Sava
, originally the prince Rastko Nemanjić (son of the Serbian ruler and founder of the Serbian medieval state Stefan Nemanja
and brother of King Stefan Prvovenčani), is the first Serb archbishop (1219-1233), the most important saint in the Serbian Orthodox Church
and important cultural and political worker of that time.
Square. It was here, in the rooms of the monastery that Romania’s first higher education institution was set up.The founding of this college in the late 17th century was brought about by a strong European influence, mostly Italian, that encouraged the
rise of the national spirit. This assertion of a national awareness had the firm support of many writers and historians of the age.
In Wallachia (Southern Romania) the most remarkable representative of this trend was Constantin Cantacuzino, writer and great
patriot, who had been educated in Padua, Italy. He was a widely−travelled aristocrat and adviser to Prince Şerban Cantacuzino.
“As Constantin Cantacuzino was determined to have a college similar to the Italian ones set up in Bucharest, his brother’s coming to
power in 1678 made it possible for him to achieve his goal”
(Nicolae Iorga, Romanian historian, 1871-1940).
“Saint Sava Princely
Academy” was therefore created by Wallachia’s reigning Prince Şerban Cantacuzino and it was placed under the aegis of the Prince and of the Patriarch of Jerusalem. Cultural and religious allegiance accounted for the fact that tuition was carried on in Modern Greek, a symbol of Byzantine civilization. The first Principal of the school was Sebastos Kyminitis, who had been educated in Constantinople. Saint Sava Academy throve during Constantin Brâncoveanu’s reign, who sketched out the curriculum and ensured the funds needed to run the school. A law given in 1707 demanded that “teachers should be understanding and principled; they should also have excellent reputation”.
http://www.licsfsava.ro/download/Pliant_SfSAVA_Engleza.pdf
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
.
The College is the direct descendant of the Princely Academy of Saint Sava
Saint Sava College
Saint Sava College was one of the earliest academic institutions in Wallachia, Romania. It was the predecessor to both Saint Sava National College and the University of Bucharest.-History:...
, which was divided in 1864 by Prince
Domnitor
Domnitor was the official title of the ruler of the United Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia between 1859 and 1866....
Alexandru Ioan Cuza into the University of Bucharest
University of Bucharest
The University of Bucharest , in Romania, is a university founded in 1864 by decree of Prince Alexander John Cuza to convert the former Saint Sava Academy into the current University of Bucharest.-Presentation:...
and the present high school. During the Communist era
Communist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
, its name was changed to Nicolae Bălcescu
Nicolae Balcescu
Nicolae Bălcescu was a Romanian Wallachian soldier, historian, journalist, and leader of the 1848 Wallachian Revolution.-Early life:...
High School.
Saint Sava
Saint Sava
Saint Sava was a Serbian Prince and Orthodox monk, the first Archbishop of the autocephalous Serbian Church, the founder of Serbian law and literature, and a diplomat. Sava was born Rastko Nemanjić , the youngest son of Serbian Grand Župan Stefan Nemanja , and ruled the appanage of Hum briefly in...
, originally the prince Rastko Nemanjić (son of the Serbian ruler and founder of the Serbian medieval state Stefan Nemanja
Stefan Nemanja
Stefan Nemanja was the Grand Prince of the Grand Principality of Serbia from 1166 to 1196, a heir of the Vukanović dynasty that marked the beginning of a greater Serbian realm .He is remembered for his contributions to Serbian culture and...
and brother of King Stefan Prvovenčani), is the first Serb archbishop (1219-1233), the most important saint in the Serbian Orthodox Church
Serbian Orthodox Church
The Serbian Orthodox Church is one of the autocephalous Orthodox Christian churches, ranking sixth in order of seniority after Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Russia...
and important cultural and political worker of that time.
History
In the 17th century Saint Sava was actually an old monastery built in Bucharest’s historic centre, in the proximity of today’s UniversitySquare. It was here, in the rooms of the monastery that Romania’s first higher education institution was set up.The founding of this college in the late 17th century was brought about by a strong European influence, mostly Italian, that encouraged the
rise of the national spirit. This assertion of a national awareness had the firm support of many writers and historians of the age.
In Wallachia (Southern Romania) the most remarkable representative of this trend was Constantin Cantacuzino, writer and great
patriot, who had been educated in Padua, Italy. He was a widely−travelled aristocrat and adviser to Prince Şerban Cantacuzino.
“As Constantin Cantacuzino was determined to have a college similar to the Italian ones set up in Bucharest, his brother’s coming to
power in 1678 made it possible for him to achieve his goal”
(Nicolae Iorga, Romanian historian, 1871-1940).
“Saint Sava Princely
Academy” was therefore created by Wallachia’s reigning Prince Şerban Cantacuzino and it was placed under the aegis of the Prince and of the Patriarch of Jerusalem. Cultural and religious allegiance accounted for the fact that tuition was carried on in Modern Greek, a symbol of Byzantine civilization. The first Principal of the school was Sebastos Kyminitis, who had been educated in Constantinople. Saint Sava Academy throve during Constantin Brâncoveanu’s reign, who sketched out the curriculum and ensured the funds needed to run the school. A law given in 1707 demanded that “teachers should be understanding and principled; they should also have excellent reputation”.
http://www.licsfsava.ro/download/Pliant_SfSAVA_Engleza.pdf
Notable alumni (includes alumni of the Princely Academy)
- Mihai AntonescuMihai AntonescuMihai Antonescu was a Romanian politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister during World War II.-Early career:...
- Tudor ArgheziTudor ArgheziTudor Arghezi was a Romanian writer, best known for his contribution to poetry and children's literature. Born Ion N. Theodorescu in Bucharest , he explained that his pen name was related to Argesis, the Latin name for the Argeş River.-Early life:Along with Mihai Eminescu, Mateiu Caragiale, and...
- Petre S. AurelianPetre S. AurelianPetre S. Aurelian was a Romanian politician who served as a Prime Minister of Romania between 2 December 1896 and 12 April 1897....
- Nicolae BălcescuNicolae BalcescuNicolae Bălcescu was a Romanian Wallachian soldier, historian, journalist, and leader of the 1848 Wallachian Revolution.-Early life:...
- Daniel BarbuDaniel BarbuDaniel Barbu is a Romanian political scientist, publisher, essayist, journalist, and professor at the University of Bucharest's Faculty of Political Science. The head of the Research Institute at the University of Bucharest, and former dean of the Faculty, he was also director of Realitatea...
- Stefan BogoridiStefan BogoridiPrince Stefan Bogoridi was a high ranking Ottoman statesman of Bulgarian origin, grandson of Sophronius of Vratsa and father of Alexander Bogoridi and Nicolae Vogoride...
- Ion I. C. BrătianuIon I. C. BratianuIon I. C. Brătianu was a Romanian politician, leader of the National Liberal Party , the Prime Minister of Romania for five terms, and Foreign Minister on several occasions; he was the eldest son of statesman and PNL leader Ion Brătianu, the brother of Vintilă and Dinu Brătianu, and the father of...
- Silviu BrucanSilviu BrucanSilviu Brucan was a Romanian communist politician. Though he disagreed with Nicolae Ceauşescu's policies, he never gave up his communist beliefs and did not oppose communist ideology...
- Gheorghe I. CantacuzinoGheorghe I. CantacuzinoGheorghe I. Cantacuzino is a Romanian historian and archeologist.Gheorghe I. Cantacuzino studied at the Sfântul Sava High School, graduating in 1954. Thereafter he attended the courses of the Faculty of History at the University of Bucharest, specializing in history of the antiquity and archeology...
- Henri CoandăHenri CoandaHenri Marie Coandă was a Romanian inventor, aerodynamics pioneer and builder of an experimental aircraft, the Coandă-1910 described by Coandă in the mid-1950s as the world's first jet, a controversial claim disputed by some and supported by others...
- Paul DimitriuPaul DimitriuPaul Dimitriu is a French Romanian-born jurist, publicist, politician and writer. Born on May 21, 1920 in Bucharest. He studied at the Saint Sava National College and thereafter the Faculty of Law of the University of Bucharest...
- Gala GalactionGala GalactionGala Galaction was a Romanian Orthodox clergyman and theologian, writer, journalist, left-wing activist, as well as a political figure of the People's Republic of Romania...
- Alexandru G. GolescuAlexandru G. GolescuAlexandru G. Golescu was a Romanian politician who served as a Prime Minister of Romania in 1870 .-Early life:...
- Vintilă HoriaVintila HoriaVintilă Horia was a Romanian writer.-Biography:Born in Segarcea, he graduated from the Saint Sava National College, then studied Law, and then Letters, including terms at universities in Italy and Austria...
- Eugène IonescoEugène IonescoEugène Ionesco was a Romanian and French playwright and dramatist, and one of the foremost playwrights of the Theatre of the Absurd...
- Take IonescuTake IonescuTake or Tache Ionescu was a Romanian centrist politician, journalist, lawyer and diplomat, who also enjoyed reputation as a short story author. Starting his political career as a radical member of the National Liberal Party , he joined the Conservative Party in 1891, and became noted as a social...
- Alexandru MarghilomanAlexandru MarghilomanAlexandru Marghiloman was a Romanian conservative statesman who served for a short time in 1918 as Prime Minister of Romania, and had a decisive role during World War I.-Early career:...
- Adrian NăstaseAdrian NastaseAdrian Năstase is a Romanian politician who was the Prime Minister of Romania from December 2000 to December 2004.He competed as the Social Democratic Party candidate in the 2004 presidential election, but was defeated by centre-right Justice and Truth Alliance candidate Traian Băsescu.He was...
- Horaţiu NăstaseHoratiu NastaseHoraţiu Năstase is a Romanian physicist and professor in the String Theory group at Instituto de Física Teórica of the Universidade Estadual Paulista in São Paulo, Brazil....
- Camil PetrescuCamil PetrescuCamil Petrescu was a Romanian playwright, novelist, philosopher and poet. He marked the end of the traditional novel era and laid the foundation of the modern novel era.- Life :...
- Constantin Titel PetrescuConstantin Titel PetrescuConstantin Titel Petrescu was a Romanian politician and lawyer. He was the leader of the Romanian Social Democratic Party.He was born in Craiova, the son of an employee of the National Bank in Bucharest...
- Ion Marin SadoveanuIon Marin SadoveanuIon Marin Sadoveanu was a Romanian playwright.- Biography :...
- Alexandru SahiaAlexandru SahiaAlexandru Sahia was a Romanian communist journalist and short story author.-Early life:...
- Florin Teodor Tănăsescu
- Christian TellChristian TellChristian Tell was a Transylvanian-born Wallachian and Romanian politician.-Early life:Born in Braşov, Tell studied at Gheorghe Lazăr's school, and then at the Saint Sava Academy in Bucharest, and became close to Ion Heliade Rădulescu's version of Radicalism...
- Corneliu Vadim TudorCorneliu Vadim TudorCorneliu Vadim Tudor is leader of the Greater Romania Party , writer, journalist and a Member of the European Parliament...
- King Michael I
Notable teachers (includes teachers at the Princely Academy)
- Gheorghe LazărGheorghe LazarGheorghe Lazăr , born and died in Avrig, Sibiu County, was a Transylvanian-born Romanian scholar, the founder of the first Romanian language school - in Bucharest, 1818.-Biography:...
- Eufrosin PotecaEufrosin PotecaEufrosin Poteca was a Romanian philosopher, theologian, and translator, professor at the Saint Sava Academy of Bucharest. Later in life he campaigned against slavery...
- Ion Heliade RădulescuIon Heliade RadulescuIon Heliade Rădulescu or Ion Heliade was a Wallachian-born Romanian academic, Romantic and Classicist poet, essayist, memoirist, short story writer, newspaper editor and politician...