[3]- and [5]-ladderanes obtained by way of template-controlled syntheses conducted in the organic solid state have been characterized via He I photoelectron (PE) spectroscopy. The results provide a first correlation with X-ray crystallographic structure data and establish the reliability of quantum chemical DFT (B3LYP/6-31G*) and ab initio HF calculations in predicting geometrical and electronic structures of molecular ladder frameworks.