[1] With a strong focus on humanities and social sciences,[2] the curriculum is supported by a variety of extracurricular activities, especially those related to community work, like volunteering.

His efforts were highly successful, with the first exam in 1851 impressing Bishop Andrea Canova, who remarked, "...the answers to many of the questions I posed are ones I learned in Europe, in higher education institutions.

Prominent public figure Ivan Evstratiev Geshov fondly remembered the eight "blissful years" he spent at the school, noting that by 1863, subjects like statistics and the history of fine arts were being taught.

According to the prominent researcher of the Bulgarian National Revival, Nikolay Genchev, the level of educational programs at the Plovdiv Gymnasium was so high that a diploma from there was sufficient for admission to foreign universities.

[5] Their contributions were immense: Ludwig Lukash advanced chemistry into an experimental science, Vaclav Dobrusky delved into the history and archaeology of Thrace, the Shkorpil brothers pioneered numismatics in Plovdiv, Ivan Mrkvicka introduced fine arts, Frantisek Splitek authored numerous math textbooks, and Anton Bezenshek founded shorthand in Bulgaria.

[6] Notable among these figures were Konstantin Stoilov, a distinguished Sorbonne-educated lawyer who later became a trusted advisor to Prince Alexander I, and Petko Karavelov, both prominent Bulgarian politicians.

Visionary teachers such as Georgi Bakalov and Dimitar Blagoev, who were founders of the social democratic movement in Bulgaria, played a crucial role in this intellectual awakening.

The head administrator Aleko Bogoridi and the Directorate of Eastern Rumelia responded to this need by approving Yoakim Gruev's request for a new building.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Prince Alexander I, Stefan Stambolov, architect Montani, clergy, and political figures from Plovdiv and across the country.