An ordered organo-silica-surfactant mesophase containing a covalently-linked chromophore was synthesized with MCM-41-type architecture by template-directed co-condensation of tetraethoxysilane and 3-(2,4-dinitrophenylamino)propyl(triethoxy)silane: a dye-functionalized mesoporous silica with hexagonal order was produced by surfactant extraction of the as-synthesized material prepared under acidic conditions.