  This is the first in a series of papers that present sets of different
results for 136 compact, known planetary nebulae within a 10 $\times$ 10 degree
region of the Galactic bulge. We use a large, previously unpublished sample of
our own extensive ESO 8 m VLT deep imaging and spectroscopic data. This is
combined with archival deep $\textit{HST}$ imaging where available to provide a
detailed morphological classification and study. The influence of angular
resolution and sensitivity when assigning a morphology is discussed. A large
fraction (68%) of the sample are shown to be bipolars and the implications for
this in the context of planetary nebulae progenitors are explored. Four new
planetary nebula central stars are also identified which are not in
$\textit{Gaia}$. This is based on both VLT and deep archival Pan-STARRS
broad-band imagery. Some 11 putative central stars previously reported, based
on $\textit{Gaia}$ positions, are also not the true central star. In other
cases the $\textit{Gaia}$ central stars reported in the literature are actually
based on the overall centroid position of a very compact planetary nebula
rather than the actual central star within it. $\textit{Gaia}$ parallax
distances and kinematic ages for PNe in this sample are provided where possible
based on fresh angular size measures from the new VLT imagery and
$\textit{Gaia}$ distances and literature expansion velocities when available.
All these results are discussed within the context of the overall
characteristics of the Galactic bulge and its planetary nebula population.
