Gymnasiums, or upper secondary schools, educate students in a three-year period. Usually, students begin at the gymnasiums right after Folkeskolen (lower secondary school). 

The word Gymnasium originates from the Classical Era in Greece. However, in this time period, the word refered to an area, where men could train and play sports. The word gymnasium comes from ancient Greek and practically means "a place where men train naked", since it was not uncommmon to practice gymnastics without ones clothes on in ancient Greece.

In the Middle Ages, the first gymnasiums were created as a higher college of education in Italy.

In 1903, the Danish Latin schools were reformed into gymnasiums. 

Today, the gymnasiums are either autonomous or owned by the local authorities.