Ordered arrays of freestanding mesoporous microrods (see figure) are obtained from macroporous silicon templates with hydrophobized pore walls. The microrods can be removed from the template by simple mechanical lift-off. Since no wet-chemical etching step is involved, condensation of the rods is avoided and the template can be recycled. The hierarchical structures combine features on the nano- and microscale and have a well-controlled geometry.