A large pore, zirconium-containing alumino-silicate with BEA structure, Zr-Al-beta (SiO2/ZrO2 = 100 and 50; SiO2/Al2O3 = 25), has been synthesized hydrothermally using TEAOH as template and characterized by XRD, FTIR, and diffuse reflectance UV-visible spectral techniques to show that Zr4+ ions are isolated and are probably linked to the framework of the aluminosilicate of BEA structure. The FTIR studies of adsorbed pyridine, evacuated at different temperatures show an increase in Lewis as wed as Bronsted acidity of Zr-Al-beta samples in comparison to Zr-free Al-beta and Zr-impregnated AI-B, having similar Al contents. The enhancement is probably the result of incorporation of Zr4+ ions into the beta structure as Si-Odelta-...Zrdelta+ linkages. The catalytic activity of Zr-Al-beta samples is demonstrated in the isomerization of m-xylene at atmospheric pressure in a fixed bed reactor. The additional acidity of Zr-Al-beta catalyst has been correlated with a marginal increase in the isomerization activity as well as selectivity to the isomerization products rather than the disproportionation products, particularly at temperatures below 500 K.