The London Eye is the giant observation wheel on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Parliament. Born as a temporary attraction for the new millennium, it became one of London's icons within a few years and one of the most visited paid attractions in the UK.
History
The idea came from a husband-and-wife team of architects, David Marks and Julia Barfield, who in 1993 entered it into a competition for a millennium landmark. The competition produced no winner and the project was at first met with scepticism, but the couple persisted and won the backing of British Airways. The wheel was assembled horizontally on floating platforms in the Thames and then slowly raised to the vertical in autumn 1999. Symbolically inaugurated on 31 December 1999, it opened to the public in March 2000. Its initial permit was for five years, but it was such a success that the wheel became permanent.
The numbers
- Height: 135 metres; for years it was the tallest observation wheel in the world.
- Capsules: 32, one for each London borough, numbered 1 to 33 skipping 13 for superstition.
- Capacity: up to 25 people per capsule.
- Rotation: about 30 minutes, so slow that passengers get on and off without the wheel stopping.
- On clear days the view reaches 40 kilometres, as far as Windsor Castle.
What you see
From the top you take in the whole centre: the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben right opposite, Buckingham Palace and the royal parks to the west, the dome of St Paul's, the City skyscrapers and the Shard to the east, and along the river the bridges as far as Tower Bridge. The most atmospheric moment is sunset, especially in winter, when the city begins to light up.
Practical information
- Tickets: you save by buying online and in advance; prices generally start at about £30 and vary by date and time. Fast-track tickets and private capsules are available.
- Queues: in summer and at weekends they can be long; the first hour of the morning or the evening is best.
- Getting there: the nearest stations are Waterloo and Westminster, from where you cross the bridge on foot.
- Nearby: the South Bank, with the Southbank Centre, the National Theatre, the book market under Waterloo Bridge and, a little further on, Tate Modern.
See also the Palace of Westminster, what to see in London and the London guide.