London Eye
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What is the London Eye?
The London Eye, found in Lambeth on the South Bank of the River Thames, is a large Ferris wheel in London. When it was built in 1999, it stood at 443 feet (135 metres), making it the tallest Ferris wheel until 2006. David Marks and Julia Barfield originally submitted the design in 1993 for a competition to commemorate the millennium in London. Construction began in 1998, and the London Eye was ceremonially opened on December 31, 1999, by Prime Minister Tony Blair, but it did not open to the public until March 9, 2000. It has 32 capsules that hold 25 passengers each and moves so slowly that it need not stop for boarding or disembarkation of passengers.
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Where is the London Eye located?
The London Eye is a large Ferris wheel located in London, United Kingdom, on the South Bank of the River Thames, in the borough of Lambeth. It was the worldâs tallest Ferris wheel from when it was built in 1999 until 2006, with an overall height of 443 feet (135 metres). The wheel has a diameter of 394 feet (120 metres) and is connected to its hub by 64 cables. The structure is held in place by six backstay cables anchored to a second foundation.
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What does the London Eye look like and how big is it?
The London Eye is a giant Ferris wheel on the South Bank of the Thames in London. From its construction in 1999 until 2006, it was the tallest Ferris wheel in the world, with an overall height of 443 feet (135 meters). The wheel has a diameter of 394 feet (120 meters). It has 32 ovoid "capsules" that can each carry 25 passengers. The wheel turns slowly, making two revolutions per hour, so it doesn't need to stop for passengers to board.
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Why was the London Eye built?
The London Eye originated as an entry by David Marks and Julia Barfield of Marks Barfield Architects in a 1993 competition for a new landmark to commemorate the millennium in London. Although no winner was declared, Marks and Barfield developed the project themselves and found the site where the wheel now stands. Construction began in 1998, and the wheel was assembled over the river before being pulled upright. The London Eye was ceremonially opened on December 31, 1999, and it admitted its first paying passengers on March 9, 2000. Originally scheduled to be dismantled after five years, it was kept in place because of its continued popularity.
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How do people ride the London Eye and what can they see from the top?
The London Eye is a giant Ferris wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames. To ride it, people board one of the 32 ovoid "capsules" that can each carry 25 passengers. The wheel rotates slowly, about twice per hour, so it doesn't usually stop for boarding.
From the top of the Eye, at 443 feet (135 metres), riders can view the entire city of London.
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How has the London Eye become important to tourism and Londonâs skyline?
The London Eye is a Ferris wheel in London that stands 443 feet (135 meters) tall. From when it was built in 1999 to 2006, it was the worldâs tallest Ferris wheel. The London Eye is one of Londonâs most popular tourist attractions for which an admission fee is charged. It is credited with sparking a worldwide revival of Ferris wheel construction. Because of its continued popularity, it was kept in place despite original plans to dismantle it after five years. A decorative LED lighting system was installed in 2006 to make it more prominent at night.
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London Eye, revolving observation wheel, or Ferris wheel, in London, on the South Bank of the River Thames in the borough of Lambeth. At an overall height of 443 feet (135 metres), the London Eye was the worldâs tallest Ferris wheel from 1999, when it was built, until 2006, when it was surpassed by the Star of Nanchang, in Nanchang, China. It is one of Londonâs most popular tourist attractions for which an admission fee is charged and is sometimes credited with sparking a worldwide revival of Ferris wheel construction.
What is now called the London Eye originated as an entry submitted by David Marks and Julia Barfield of Marks Barfield Architects in 1993 to a competition, sponsored by The Sunday Times and Great Britainâs Architecture Foundation, for a new landmark to commemorate the millennium in London. Although no winner was declared, Marks and Barfield undertook the development of the project themselves and found the site where the wheel now stands. Much of the funding was provided by British Airways. Construction began in 1998, and the wheel was put together over the river, in a horizontal position, before being pulled upright. The London Eye, as it was called by this time, was ceremonially âopenedâ by Prime Minister Tony Blair on December 31, 1999, but did not admit its first paying passenger until March 9, 2000. Originally scheduled to be dismantled after five years, it was kept in place because of continued popularity. In 2006 a decorative LED lighting system was installed in order to make the wheel more prominent after dark.
The hub of the wheel rests on two supports, which are anchored to a foundation on the riverbank and lean out over the river at an angle of 65° (from the horizontal). With both its supports on the same side of the hub, the wheel is said to be cantilevered over the river. The entirety of the structure is held in place by six backstay cables anchored to a second foundation.
The wheel itself has a diameter of 394 feet (120 metres) and is connected to its hub by 64 cables that function much like the spokes of a bicycle wheel. The power to turn the wheel is transmitted to the rim through rubber tires that are mounted on the base of the structure. Mounted on the wheel are 32 ovoid âcapsules,â as the cabins that carry the passengers are called. Their number corresponds to the 32 boroughs that (together with the City of London) constitute Greater London. Each capsule has a capacity of 25 passengers and rests on motorized mounts that function in such a way that the capsule remains upright as the wheel turns. The wheel moves so slowlyâtwo revolutions per hourâthat it need not stop for boarding or disembarkation of passengers, except for those with disabilities.
The London Eyeâs original owners were British Airways, Marks Barfield, and the Tussauds Group. Tussauds became the sole owner in 2006. The following year Tussauds was sold to the Blackstone Group, a private equity firm that folded the London Eye into its Merlin Entertainments Group.