Franciscan High School at Siroki Brijeg

The Franciscan secondary school at Široki Brijeg was the foundation of education and literacy in Herzegovina. Beginning in 1889, the Franciscans began to establish the secondary school, grade by grade, at Široki Brijeg. In September 1923, the Province administration selected the location for the construction of the new building. The blueprints for the new school building were created by Mostar architect Miloš Komadina, with assistance of Father Dominik Mandić. The foundation stone was officially laid and blessed on 4 October 1924 on the occasion of St. Francis Day. The construction of the school required great efforts and expenditures. Teaching for the lower grades began in 1927 in the still uncompleted building. The Ministry for Education of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia recognized the Široki Brijeg secondary school without any limitations. The teachers were Franciscans, many holding doctorate degrees. The school also accepted pupils who were not Franciscan candidates, particularly from 1929 on, when the pupils convent school was built.

The darkest event in the history of the Široki Brijeg secondary school occured on 7 February 1945 when the partisans destroyed the school, convent, church and monastery, and killed 13 active and 11 former teachers of the school.

Much time passed before the secondary school again arose, like phoenix from the ashes. Today, it operates as the Fr. Dominik Mandić secondary school in Široki Brijeg.