A detailed investigation of the solid state and solution structures of lanthanide(III) complexes with the macrocyclic ligand 2,11,20-triaza [3.3.3](2,6)-pyridinophane (TPP) is reported. The solid state structures of 14 different Le complexes have been determined using X-ray crystallography. The ligand is coordinating to the Ln(3+) ion by using its six nitrogen atoms, while nitrate or triflate anions and water molecules complete the metal coordination environments. The structure of the complexes in solution has been investigated by H-1 and C-13 NMR spectroscopy, as well as by DFT calculations (TPSSh model) performed in aqueous solution. The structures obtained from these calculations for the complexes with the lightest Ln(3+) ions (La-Sm) are in very good agreement with those determined by the analysis of the Ln(3+)-induced paramagnetic shifts. A structural change occurs across the lanthanide series at Sm3+; the complexes of the large Ln(3+) ions (La-Nd) are chiral due to the nonplanar conformation of the macrocyde, and present effective C-3 upsilon symmetries in solution as a consequence of a fast interconversion of two enantiomeric forms with C-3 symmetry. The activation free energy for this enantiomerization process, as estimated by using DFT calculations, amounts to 33.0 kJ.mol(-1). The TPP ligand in the complexes of the heaviest Ln(3+) ions (Eu-Lu) presents a half-chair conformation, which results in C-s symmetries in solution.