A redetermination of the structure of 'La_32.66Fe ₁₁S₆₀' in the trigonal space group R3̄m led to the new formula La₅₂Fe₁₂S₉₀ and to a redefinition of the structure type. In the structure, the Fe²⁺ cations occur in Fe₂S₉ dimers of face-sharing octahedra (with 3m symmetry). The dimers are linked by face- and vertex-sharing bi- and tricapped LaS ₆ trigonal prisms (with m symmetry) to form a three-dimensional network containing two types of cuboctahedral cavities. The larger cavities remain empty, while the smaller ones accommodate alternative sites for disordered La³⁺ cations.