The Zosimaia was founded at 1828 through the personal expense of the Zosimas brothers, and is still functioning as a high school under the regulations of the Greek Ministry of Education.

At this point, five Zosimas brothers who had migrated to Russia and become successful merchants, decided to make a significant contribution to their homeland, sponsoring the foundation of a new educational institution.

In 1833 Anastasios Sakellarios from Zagori, a former student of Athanasios Psalidas - a major intellectual of the Greek Enlightenment and Ali Pasha’s advisor - became director of the Zosimaia.

The majority of the students were from Epirus, but there were also many from Greek communities throughout the Ottoman Empire, e.g. from Eastern Rumelia.

Most of the graduates of Zosimaia either continued their studies, mostly in the University of Athens, or became teachers in one of the Greek schools in Balkan Peninsula.