Spanning a branch of the river beneath a 15th-century water tower is the Mánes Building (1927–30), a masterpiece of functionalist architecture designed by Otakar Novotný. It houses an art gallery founded in the 1920s by a group of artists, headed by painter Josef Mánes, and is still one of Prague’s best venues for viewing contemporary art.
However, half of the building is now leased as a restaurant and office space, following financial problems that arose during a major renovation in 2012–14.
