Schiermonnikoog is a municipality and an island in the northern Netherlands, one of the West Frisian Islands.

History

The first known owners of Schiermonnikoog were the monks of the Cistercian monastery Klaarkamp near Rinsumageest, on the mainland. "Monnik" means "monk" and "schier" is an archaic word meaning "gray", referring to the colour of the monks' habits.

The wind and the sea cause the island to slowly "move" to the south and the east. In the year 1250, it lay roughly 2 km to the north of its present position, and it had a significantly different shape^{Official Website}

• Little map