Amsterdam’s oldest
Art Route 2025 ▫️ 40 yrs
Anniversary Edition
OAWE was founded in 1985.
The Westelijke Eilanden (Prinseneiland, Realeneiland and Bickerseiland) were built around 1615 together with the Jordaan, the main canals and Haarlemmerdijk due to the increasing business trade during the Dutch Golden Age. A new harbour, het Ij, was built for the West-Indische Compangie with 11 shipyards on Bickerseiland and 100 warehouses on Prinseneiland. In 1832 the islands were closed off from the harbour with the construction of the Westerdoksdijk. In the 19th century many artists lived and worked here, such as painter G. H. Breitner (Girl with Kimono) and photographer Jacob Olie, known for his Amsterdam cityscapes. Nowadays the islands are a unique neighbourhood where old warehouses, industrial buildings and former captain’s houses are still fully present in combination with social- and modern architecture.
