London Eye

The London Eye (known as the “Millennium Wheel”), is Europe’s biggest ferris wheel, with 135 metres (443 ft) height. It has turned out to be the most well-known paid tourist attraction in the U.K., with more than 3 million people visiting each year. London Eye is situated on the River Thames’s south bank, at the western end of the Jubilee Gardens, and in between Hungerford Bridge and Westminster Bridge in London. It was designed by architects Julia Barfield, Davis Marks, Mark Sparrowhawk, Malcholm Cook, Nic Bailey, and Steven Chilton. The wheel has 32 sealed and air-conditioned passenger capsules that are joined to its external circumference. Every capsule, which holds 24 people, represents one of the London Boroughs.

The London Eye was formally opened on December 31, 1999 at 20:00 GMT by then-Prime Minister Tony Blair. However, due to technical problems, it was only opened to the public in March 2000. Since then, the London Eye has turned out to be a tourist attraction and a major landmark, sponsored by British Airways and managed by Merlin Entertainments. By July 2002, approximately 8.5 million people had ridden on it, and a total of 30 million people have used it by June 5, 2008 since its public opening.

Since January 1, 2005, the London Eye has been the centre of London’s New Year’s celebrations, with a 10-minute firework display including fireworks fired from the wheel itself. A passenger’s souvenir photograph, which is also for security purposes, is taken automatically in the capsule by a hidden camera as they approach the end of the ride. Ticket reservations can be made in advance or depending on the London Eye’s availability upon arrival.