Štvanice Island lies between Karlín and Holešovice and is administratively part of Holešovice.
The river was shallow here, which created a series of islets. Most of them disappeared as the river bed was regulated. As early as the end of the 17th century, a wooden arena was built on the island where, until 1816, dogs were set on various animals — and even on cows. This is also where the island's name comes from ("štvanice" = "hunt/baiting").
From 1877 a variety theatre stood here and people came for further attractions. In 1883 wooden ice-houses were built and by the end of the 19th century there were already three restaurants on the island. At the end of the island, since 1914, there has been a small hydroelectric power plant; between 1984 and 1987 it was completely reconstructed including the weir and locks. A whitewater slalom area was built at the same time. Various smaller sports and recreation facilities used to be here, including the winter stadium, finally demolished in 2011.
The Štvanice Tennis Centre opened in 1986. The eastern part used to host a public lido and swimming pool. The Negrelli Viaduct and Hlávka Bridge cross the island, the latter linking the left-bank Kapitána Jaroše embankment and Bubenské Embankment with the right-bank Rohanské Embankment. Metro line C also runs beneath the island between Florenc and Vltavská stations.
You can sail alongside Štvanice Island aboard one of our boats or steamboats.
