The name Mánes refers to the building of the Mánes Association of Fine Artists, or sometimes the association itself. The building stands at the southern tip of Slavonic Island.
The Šítkov Mill once stood here, documented as far back as the 12th century. In 1495 it was extended with a waterworks and the Šítkov Water Tower, which later became part of the new building. The architect Otokar Novotný built the new structure between 1928 and 1930 for the Mánes Association in the Functionalist style. The building had a restaurant, a clubroom and exhibition halls.
The building was used by the Mánes Association of Fine Artists, founded in 1887. Its purpose was to discuss and lecture on Czech and European art, publish journals and art publications, and organise exhibitions. The association was named after the painter Josef Mánes. From February 1948 the association was persecuted, and in 1956 it was forcibly disbanded.
You can view the association's building and the water tower from a completely different perspective from the deck of our boats and steamboats if you join us on one of the longer cruises, for example the two-hour cruise.
