attractive residential and working area. Most of the warehouses have been divided into apartments. The neighborhood still attracts many people with an artistic background: actors, musicians, furniture makers, program makers and artists, such as Benno Premsela, Ans Marcus, Willem Nijholt, Tijmen Ploeg, Raoul Hynckes, Han Wezelaar, Auke Hettema and Martijn Padding. There are 38 national monuments on the island. Realeneiland The Realeneiland, at first called Achtereiland, was named after the Reael family, who owned land there. In 1617 cheap land on the Achtereiland started to be provided to herring fishermen from outside the city. A herring bakery was built in 1648 by the Reael family on the Zandhoek, the side that bordered on the IJ (now shielded by Westerdok and Westerdoksdijk). The gable stone depicted a Golden Reaal, a Spanish/Portuguese coin that was used all over the world at the beginning of the 17th century. It showed one holding an image of Emperor Charles V. It made such an impression in the 20th century that the neighborhood was called the Golden Reaal. Reael gave credit to ship carpenters, who did not have to pay rent for the first twelve years, but had to deliver a ship. He also had houses built on the island, which the city opposed. The Tar Company of Joseph Deutz got a large yard on the Realen Island in 1664. Until 1673 there was also a peat market. Sand was stored on the Zandhoek, which was used as ballast and for raising streets and neighborhoods in the center. As early as 1676 there was a brandy distillery at the Drieharingenbrug, called De drie gecroonde haringen (The three crowned herrings). These business premises were demolished around 1780 by shipbuilder Haring Booy and rebuilt as a sort of country house. For many years, the tobacco firm British American Tobacco was established on Realeneiland. The island became known through the books of Jan Mens about the Golden Reael. There are still thirteen impressive captain's houses. Miscellaneous Jacob Olie came from the Westelijke Eilanden and photographed the area extensively. George Hendrik Breitner (1857-1923) and Kees Maks (1876-1967) worked on Prinseneiland. The so-called Open Workshop Days take place around Pentecost on the Westelijke Eilanden. Bridges The connections to and between the Westelijke Eilanden consist of drawbridges. See also Gouden Reael References Sources External links Bickerseiland (Bickers Island) Video on YouTube Prinseneiland (Prince Island) Video on YouTube Realeneiland (Realen Island Video on