The 1st Elementary School of Xanthi (also known as School of Matsinis) is located in the Metropolis Square of the old city of Xanthi. As it is stated in an inscription at the entrance of the school, it was built in 1863 as a peer tutoring school by the wealthy tobacco merchant Michael Matsinis, who also left at his will (1874) bequests for the maintenance of the school. For this offer, the citizens of Xanthihonoured him as a national benefactor. The school operated independently both as a Boys' and a Girls’ School. The minute books of the time refer to it with various names, such as Urban Educational School of Xanthi, First school, etc. In addition, it is often found in the literature as Central School, which shows that the region of the Metropolis Square was the centre of the urban web of the city. After the death of its founder, the responsibility for the school was initially assigned to his relatives. This was stipulated in his will. In 1893, with an initiative from the bishop of Xa