Three-dimensionally　ordered　macroporous　(3DOM)　europium　oxide　and　samarium　oxide　with　mesoporous　walls　and　cubic　crystal　structures　have　been　successfully　fabricated　with　polymethyl　methacrylate　(PMMA)　as　hard　template　and　F127,　sucrose,　and　L-lysine　as　surfactant.　The　as-fabricated　rare　earth　oxides　were　characterized　by　means　of　X-ray　diffraction,　thermogravimetric　analysis,　differential　scanning　calorimetric　analysis,　Fourier-transform　infrared　spectroscopy,　scanning　electron　microscope,　transmission　electron　microscopy,　selected-area　electron　diffraction,　nitrogen　adsorption-desorption,　ultraviolet-visible　diffuse　reflectance　spectroscopy,　and　photoluminescence　spectroscopy.　It　is　shown　that　the　as-fabricated　Eu2O3　and　Sm2O3　samples　displayed　3DOM　architectures　with　polycrystalline　wormhole-like　mesoporous　walls.　The　nature　of　surfactant　and　solvent　and　calcination　parameter　had　important　effects　on　the　pore　structure　and　surface　area　of　the　final　product.　The　introduction　of　surfactant　and　the　carbonization　of　sucrose　or　L-lysine　favored　the　enhancement　in　surface　area　of　the　3DOM-structured　materials,　with　the　3DOM　Eu2O3　and　Sm2O3　samples　derived　in　the　presence　of　sucrose　possessing　the　highest　surface　area　of　36.8　and　32.6　m(2)　g(-1),　respectively.　The　3DOM　Eu2O3　and　Sm2O3　samples　showed　much　better　UV-light　absorption　capacity　than　their　bulk　counterparts.　The　PL　study　revealed　that　the　luminescent　properties　could　be　modified　by　tailoring　the　pore　structure　of　Eu2O3　and　Sm2O3.　The　unique　physical　properties　associated　with　the　generation　of　3DOM　skeletons　and　wormhole-like　mesoporous　walls　make　such　materials　useful　for　the　applications　in　optics　and　heterogeneous　catalysis.　(C)　2011　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.