On the first day of school, the renovated Petrinja Secondary School also opened its doors to its students

The start of the school year in Petrinja was marked by the opening of the renovated secondary school building at 3 Ivan Gundulić Street, a protected cultural property listed in the Register of Cultural Goods of the Republic of Croatia. One section of this renovated main building will house classes for the general secondary education (gymnasium) program, while the other section has been fitted out to serve as Petrinja’s first student dormitory.

The ceremonial opening was attended by Branko Bačić, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets; Ivana Miletić Čakširan, Head of the Regional Conservation Office in Sisak and representative of the Minister of Culture and Media, Dr. Nina Obuljen Koržinek; Ivan Celjak, Prefect of Sisak-Moslavina County; and Magdalena Komes, Mayor of Petrinja and Member of Parliament. Deputy Prime Minister Bačić highlighted that, with the renovation of this building as well, Petrinja is regaining its former splendor. He added that the renovated Petrinja Secondary School demonstrates that the goal of post-earthquake reconstruction was not merely to restore buildings to their previous state, but to create safer, higher-quality, and more modern spaces. Sisak-Moslavina County Prefect Ivan Celjak recalled that, following the earthquake, two locations were designated for the Petrinja Secondary School: vocational programs in a new building and general education (gymnasium) programs in the renovated building in the city center. He emphasized the goal of ensuring the best possible working and educational conditions for students and teachers. Petrinja Mayor and MP Magdalena Komes thanked everyone involved in the renovation of the Petrinja Secondary School. She expressed particular satisfaction that students and staff are returning to the renovated building in the very heart of Petrinja, noting that the value of the renovation is fully realized only when the restored spaces are once again filled with people and life.

The Petrinja Secondary School building—an individually protected cultural asset listed in the Register of Cultural Goods of the Republic of Croatia—is part of a row of structures extending along the eastern side of Ivan Gundulić Street, forming its eastern frontage. It is a Neo-Renaissance building whose spatial layout follows the characteristic pattern of school buildings constructed during the 19th and the first half of the 20th centuries. It is distinguished by the quality of its façade design, which employs a repertoire of classical morphological elements. The school building was erected in 1871 under the direction of builder Bonifacije Cettolo; after sustaining severe damage in the 2020 earthquake, it was renovated as part of a project valued at €11.5 million. Funding was secured from the European Union Solidarity Fund, the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, the State Budget, and the budget of Sisak-Moslavina County. Emergency protection measures following the earthquake were implemented by Sisak-Moslavina County in 2021 through a program of the Ministry of Culture and Media. As part of the comprehensive renovation, the entire façades had to be reconstructed to provide necessary structural reinforcement; additionally, original terracotta elements from the renowned V. Brausewetter workshop in Wagram, stone portals, and wooden entrance doors were restored and reinstalled on the façade. Fire safety measures were implemented, energy efficiency was improved, and accessibility for persons with disabilities and reduced mobility was ensured. The program of emergency measures was implemented through the Ministry of Culture and Media, financed from the European Union Solidarity Fund and the state budget. All works were continuously monitored by the Sisak Regional Conservation Service of the Ministry of Culture and Media.