Reaction of a semi-rigid tripodal ligand 1,1',1''-(2,4,6-trimethylbenzene-1,3,5-triyl)tris(methylene)tripyridinium-4-olate) (TTP) with Ln(3+) (Ln = Eu, Gd) afforded rare (3,12)-connected metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). A topological simplification of such highly connected 3D MOFs on the basis of 2D CdI(2) (3,6)-nets is proposed. The luminescent and anion exchange properties of the compounds were determined.