The title compound, {[Mn(C24H14N2O4)(C24H16N2O4)]center dot- 0.5H(2)O} n, was obtained by the reaction of manganese nitrate with the ligand 4,4''-(4,4''-bipyridine-2,6-diyl) dibenzoic acid under hydrothermal conditions. The water O atom is located on a twofold rotation axis. The Mn2+ ion is heptacoordinated by six O atoms and one N atom from the ligands. In this structure, the ligands adopts two different forms, one completely deprotonated and one with a protonated N atom (pyridinium) and a carboxylic acid function. In the crystal, N-H center dot center dot center dot O and O-H center dot center dot center dot O hydrogen bonds consolidate the packing, forming a three-dimensional framework.