New complexes of ytterbium with porphyrins containing crown-and other oxygen-containing cyclic substituents were obtained. The absorption, excitation, ligand luminescence and 4f-luminescence spectra have been investigated. It has been shown that 4f-luminescence of ytterbium Yb(III) ions was a result of the intramolecular energy transfer from the triplet level of the ligands to the resonance 2 F 5/2 level of Yb(III). It has been also established that in presence of alkali metal Na, K and Cs the dimer complexes (sandwich-type) of ytterbium-crown-porphyrin were formed. Molecular luminescence of the porphyrin matrix was quenched completely in these dimers, but at the same time the quantum yield and lifetime of 4f-luminescence increase in the complexes.