Shafaq News/ Al-Aqeedah High School, established in 1925, remains one of Baghdad’s oldest educational institutions. Originally named the School of the Presentation Sisters, it was built by a French company near Jumhuriya Bridge on Abu Nuwas Street.

The school’s U-shaped design features small arches, cylindrical columns, and traditional Iraqi Jumhuriya bricks. A cross is subtly integrated into the façade, reflecting its origins under the Presentation Sisters, a group of French nuns invited to Iraq by King Faisal I. The king granted them land in Tahrir Square in recognition of their role in combating a plague.

Nationalized in 1964 and renamed Al-Aqeedah Secondary School for Girls, the institution has produced professionals in various fields, including the late architect Zaha Hadid.

In 2018, plans to demolish the school for a shopping mall triggered public opposition, with many Iraqis arguing that the building was an important part of the nation’s heritage. The proposal was ultimately shelved, and the school continues to function as an educational facility.