London Eye - The Millenium Wheel

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The London Eye - Millenium Wheel

 

The biggest Ferris wheel in Europe, the London Eye, also known as the Millennium Wheel, towers a height of 135 meters. This became one of the most popular tourist attractions in UK having had more than three million visitors in a year. When it was erected in 1999, it held the record of the tallest Ferris wheel in the world, but was beat up by the Star of Nanchang on 2006, and then the Singapore Flyer on February 2008.

London Eye's site is adjacent to the former Dome of Discovery, built in 1951.The gargantuan Ferris wheel is located at the west of Jubilee Gardens, and between the Westminster Bridge and Hungerford Bridge. The 32-capsuled wheel (with each capsule carrying approximately 24 people) is designed by architects David Marks, Julia Barfield, Malcolm Cook, Mark Sparrowhawk, Steven Chilton and Nic Bailey.

Rewinding back to 1999, the London Eye was formally opened by the then PM Tony Blair, marking

it off as a major landmark and tourist attraction in the country. By July 2002, 8.5 million people

had ridden the Eye and this figure had made the attraction a permanent structure in the area.

The London Eye has become the chosen landmark for New Year celebrations.