A novel compound [Pr-2(IA)(6)(H2O)(4)MnCl2(H2O)(4)](n) (1; HIA is isonicotinic acid) was prepared. The praseodymium(III) cation is surrounded by eight oxygen atoms and exhibits a square antiprismatic PrO8 geometry. The manganese(II) ion shows a hexagonal bipyramid. Adjacent Pr3+ cations are interconnected by IA groups to give a one-dimensional (1-D) chain. The chains are further connected by the MnCl2(H2O)(4) moieties to give a two-dimensional (2-D) layer. Complex 1 shows red photoluminescence, which comes from the 1D(2) -> H-3(4), 3P(0) -> H-3(6), 3P(0) -> 3F(2) and 3P(1) -> 3F(3) transitions of praseodymium(III) ions. It possesses a band gap of 1.98 eV.