Izmir Kız Lisesi (Izmir Girls' High School), Izmir

Izmir Girls' High School stands as a historical landmark in Turkey’s educational landscape, embodying the early republican values of modernization, education, and women’s empowerment. Originally established as the School of Union and Progress in 1917 by Governor Rahmi Bey, the building, with its robust stone structure and H-shaped design, was intended as a boys’ school. Its function, however, shifted with the changing tides of the country’s history.

During the tumultuous period following the War of Independence, the building nearly became the seat of a potential Izmir Ionian University had the region remained under Greek control. Instead, after the Greek occupation ended, it was repurposed to serve as the foundation for what would become Izmir Girls' High School.

Izmir Girls' High School began its evolution in 1923-1924 by introducing a boarding section and merging its curriculum with boys’ schools to create a progressive educational model for modern, educated young women. Under its first principal, Şehime Yunus, the school rapidly expanded. In 1926, it moved to a larger building in Alsancak Gündoğdu, a former Greek Community School, despite initial challenges. Throughout the 1930s, the school grew, adding specialized branches and modern facilities, and in 1938, it relocated again to Karataş. By 1979-1980, it became exclusively a high school, having phased out its middle school section.

Izmir Girls' High School’s legacy is not merely one of buildings and enrollments but of a continuous commitment to nurturing young women into the leaders, thinkers, and change-makers that the new Republic of Turkey envisioned. Today, it stands as a testament to the power of education in transforming societies and empowering individuals, particularly women, in the early 20th century and beyond.