The large organic molecule C90H98, called Lander, has been investigated on the Cu(2 11) surface by low temperature scanning tunnelling microscopy (LT-STM). Different adsorption geometries, which differ in the internal conformation and the orientation of the molecule, are described. These adsorption conformations have been determined by elastic scattering quantum chemistry calculations (ESQC). For T > 120 K, adsorption at selected step edges is combined with an adsorbate induced restructuring. The reconstruction is revealed by lateral STM manipulation and could be imaged with atomic resolution. It has the form of a (3 11) facet. The restructured steps can be used as a guidance for lateral manipulation of large molecules. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.