The Central Archive of Pristina, previously known as the Technical Sciences High School, is situated in one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city, called the Mektepler [Schools]. The building is thought to have been built in the late 19th century. The structure has neoclassical features with symmetrical and simple decorations on the façade. Over time, the building has had several functions: it served as a jail during the Ottoman rule, a crafts and economics school after the Second World War and a dormitory for the Ivo Lola Ribar. Nowadays Sami Frashëri High School is situated just down the road from it. During the Yugoslav Wars, the building served Serb refugees from Croatia and Bosnia as a shelter-home for almost a decade. After 1999, it was transformed into the Technical Sciences High School before it was designated to serve as the archive in 2004 by the Pristina Municipality.