When you arrive at the London Eye, there’s a good chance you will be dismayed by the length of the queue. It's Europe's tallest 'ferris' wheel. For example, it was lit red, white and blue for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding, and pink in 2005 to celebrate the legalising of gay civil partnerships. The best things to do in London. The capsules are numbered 1 to 33, with no capsule number 13 for superstitious reasons. In one year the London Eye rotates 2,300 miles, which is the distance from London to Cairo. It has won over 85 awards for national and international tourism, outstanding … The capsules were made by cable-car specialists Poma in the French Alps. London Eye was constructed over a period of two years. Betchya Can't. Check out the best tours and activities to experience London Eye. Since its opening in 2000, the London Eye observation wheel on the South Bank of the Thames has become as much a symbol of the British capital as Tower Bridge or Big Ben. It ran until the Imperial Austrian Exhibition in 1906, by which time its 40 cars (each with a capacity of 40 people) had carried over 2.5 million passengers. At the time it was built, in 1999, it was the tallest giant wheel in the world, and at … London Eye History. Also, I just love how quintessentially London this photo is, with the double decker buses on the bridge and the distant city limits. Just get into the queue before your scheduled time, and you’ll be okay. Alternatively, London Buses operates a bus from Old Street, City Road Leonard Street to Waterloo Station York Road every 15 minutes. It can be the tiny tip of the iceberg or the whole hundred percent.” The lights on the London Eye were changed for LED lighting in December 2006, allowing digital control of the lights and their colours. Each rotation of the London Eye takes approximately 30 minutes, meaning that the capsules travel at a leisurely 0.6 miles per hour. With more than 3.75m visitors annually, The London Eye is the most popular paid tourist attraction in the UK. Since mid-January 2015 it has been known in branding as the Coca-Cola London Eye, after an agreement signed in September 2014. Reachability: London underground station Waterloo, Jubilee Line, Northern Line and Bakerloo Line, Zone 1. If I am 16 years old, but would like to bring my friends who are 15 years old, can we visit without an adult aged 18+? Standing at an eye-watering height of 443 feet tall, the London Eye has given millions of people the chance to gaze across London’s skyline since it was created. What the Eye offers is unique - a view of Central London FROM Central London Despite visiting London for 20 years it was the only spot that made me understand how London … The must-read London articles. If you like celeb-spotting in London, you might try and see who you can clock at the London Eye, because it seems celebs love it. See London From up High at These Tall Attractions, 19 Things to See If You Only Have a Few Hours in London, What to Do With Teenagers in London, England, Can You Name Florida's Tallest Rides? The London Eye is for a great reason one of the top attractions in London. It is 135 metres high. Yes, the London Eye is also known as the Millennium Wheel. Here are 15 fun facts you may not know about the London Eye. The London Eye has 32 capsules, numbered 1 to 12 and 14 to 33. How old must you be to enter the attraction unaccompanied? The London Eye is ​the world’s tallest cantilevered observation wheel. It was conceived and designed by Marks Barfield Architects and was launched in 2000. Plan your day ahead or read the day's London headlines with our daily emails. Each capsule weighs 10 tons or a whopping 20,000 pounds. Free for commercial and personal use. The River Cruise lasts 40 minutes.) London Eye is located in South Bank. The London Eye Mystery Quotes Showing 1-11 of 11 “Knowledge can be like the skin on the surface of the water in a pond, or it can go all the way down to the mud. Rome2rio makes travelling from Old Stratford to London Eye easy. The 1,000-foot span had stood for over 130 years and survived strafing during World War IIs London Blitz, but it was unequipped for modern traffic and was slowly sinking into the River Thames at a rate of one inch every eight years. But in 2002, Lambeth Council granted the Eye a permanent licence. Over 300 London Eye Pictures and Images for Free. The London Eye is the number one visitor experience in London and the United Kingdom, attracting over 3.75 million visitors annually. The London Eye is a giant Ferris wheel located along the River Thames in London, England.. Also known as the Millennium Wheel, it has also been called by its owners the British Airways London Eye, then the Merlin Entertainments London Eye, then the EDF Energy London Eye.Since mid-January 2015, it has been known as the Coca-Cola London Eye, following an agreement signed … Thanks to this slow rate of rotation, passengers are able to board and disembark without the wheel having to stop. Take in 360-degree views of London’s skyline, join the ULTIMATE A List Party at Madame Tussauds London and discover the wonder of the ocean at SEALIFE London Aquarium. Don't miss out on great deals for things to do on your trip to London! In 2017, Robin Stevens published a sequel, The Guggenheim Mystery. When it was built in 1999, the 443ft (135m) tall wheel was … The London Eye, also known as the Millennium Wheel, located on London’s Southbank, is the world’s largest observation wheel and most popular paid tourist attraction in the UK.Drawing visitors from all over the world, the wheel has transformed London’s landscape and stands today as a national symbol that celebrates Britain’s innovation and technological … The London Eye is turning 20 years old this month, and the iconic observation wheel is celebrating the milestone by temporarily transforming 20 of its passenger pods into unique immersive experiences. Parth Kumar Kat is 14 in this book... Ted mentions that when he was a newborn and Kat was two.... (This shows that if Ted is 12 then Kat is 14) They like London Eye very much because on a clear day you can see 25 miles in all directions and it is the largest observation wheel ever built. We hope you find this wheely interesting. For example, it was lit red, white and blue for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding. It’s a massive structure (by London standards) that stands 443 feet tall and is made up of 32 pods which each represent one of the bureaus in London. But it's had many official names, courtesy of its various owners and sponsors. Looking for the perfect photo opp on your family's trip to London? And the double-curved laminated glass for the pods was made in Venice. It is one of London’s tallest buildings at 135 meters above ground and Europe’s tallest observation wheel. If you add up all the rotations the Eye has completed in its first 15 years, the distance adds up to 32,932 miles, or 1.3 times the Earth's circumference. Let us know here. The wheel was developed and constructed in The Netherlands from UK steel, with cables from Italy, bearings from Germany, and the iron spindle and hub were cast in the Skoda factory in the Czech Republic. Something wrong with this article? Our gallery has a wide selection of images of Europe's tallest cantilevered observation wheel, the London Eye. (One turn on the London Eye takes 30 minutes. 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 Britain’s Architecture Foundation, for a new landmark to commemorate the millennium in London. Just like the Eiffel Tower, the London Eye was originally planned as a temporary structure; built to stand on Lambeth Council's ground on the banks of the Thames for around five years. What's the difference? Built to celebrate the Millennial, the London Eye was originally going to stand on Lambeth Council's ground on the banks of the Thames for five years. If you'd like to find things to do in the area, you may want to check out London Dungeon and Westminster Bridge. Since opening in 2000, the London Eye has welcomed almost 80 million visitors. It takes 30 minutes to complete a revolution and doesn’t have to stop for passengers to step … Reserve your spot today and pay when you're ready for thousands of tours on Viator. Suzanne Rowan Kelleher is a nationally recognized family travel expert and an award-winning travel writer and editor. It admitted its first paying passenger until March 9, 2000. The London Eye was dreamt up by a UK design team, but its parts come from all over Europe. First published in 2007, it tells the story of how Ted, a boy with Asperger syndrome, and his sister Kat, solve the mystery of how their cousin, Salim, seemingly vanishes from inside a sealed capsule on the London Eye . The London Eye is ranked #18 out of 21 things to do in London. The Eye is lit up in different colours to mark various special occasions. You can read more examples of London's triskaidekaphobic tendencies here. This wasn't London's first big wheel. It was due to open with various VIPs enjoying the views, but a clutch problem on one of the capsules meant it rotated without passengers, and the opening was postponed for a month. Do I have to pay for a child under 3 years? The London Eye was formally opened by then prime minister Tony Blair on 31 December 1999. The London Eye Mystery is a children's mystery novel by English author Siobhan Dowd. It was 94 metres (308ft) tall and 82.3m (270ft) in diameter. Over 5000 couples have proposed on the London Eye since opening in March 2000, most of these were in private Cupid’s Capsules accompanied by a host and Champagne. It is Europe's tallest cantilevered observation wheel, and is the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom with over 3 million visitors annually, and has made many appearances in popular culture. Is the London Eye Worthy of Your Travel Spending? On 2 June 2013, a passenger capsule was named the Coronation Capsule to mark the 60th anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. London Eye. Exiting the tube at Westminster and walking towards the towering Ferris wheel is a nice build-up for what’s to come Admiring the Houses of Parliament, not Big Ben; as you probably know, Big Ben refers to the bell inside the tower, and not the tower itself. The London Eye, or the Millennium Wheel, is a cantilevered observation wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames in London. Each of the observation capsules offers 360-degree views of the London skyline. My favou… London Eye: Young and old enjoyed - See 86,639 traveler reviews, 49,932 candid photos, and great deals for London, UK, at Tripadvisor. Playground: just outside the London Eye is a great little playground which is perfect for children until 12 years old and offers fantastic views of the Eye. The London Eye has 32 air -conditioned passenger capsules that represent the 32 London boroughs. The London Eye, Europe’s tallest Ferris Wheel, was built in the year 2000 to celebrate the millennium. In the early 1960s, officials in England made a troubling discovery: London Bridge was falling down. The London Eye was preceded by The Great Wheel, a 40-car Ferris wheel built for the Empire of India Exhibition at Earls Court. Since January 2015, it's officially been the Coca-Cola London Eye, but, let's be honest: no-one's going to call it that. To mark special occasions, the Eye is often lit up in different colors. These photos are in HD and 4K quality. It towers above Westminster and the Houses of Parliament giving you a fantastic bird’s eye view over all of London. Find all the transport options for your trip from Old Stratford to London Eye right here. The 32 capsules are said to represent London's 32 boroughs. 4 Fun facts about the London Eye See pictures and our review of The London Eye. Marketing types like to refer to the Eye as the world's 'tallest cantilevered observation wheel' — a reference to the fact that, unlike a ferris wheel, it's supported by an A-frame on just one side, and the carriages don't hang below, they're outside the wheel rim and righted by motors. If you already have purchased adult ticket/s and require a child ticket, this will need to be purchased onsite on the day of your visit. The London Eye is ​the world’s tallest cantilevered … (link with details listed below) Tip: It's especially nice to experience the nightfall, with the lights of … The 804ft (245m) high observation deck on the 72nd floor of The Shard took away that accolade on 1 February 2013. Construction began in 1998 and it was inaugurated by the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair on December 31, 1999. In 2016, Matt Damon made at least five trips; as did singer Meghan Trainor. The London Eye is 443 feet tall, or the equivalent to 64 of the iconic red telephone booths piled on top of each other. The Eye was opened in 2000. At 135m, The London Eye is the world’s largest cantilevered observation wheel. It's in a walkable neighborhood that travelers enjoy for top attractions such as the a beautiful riverfront and local tours. Don't call it a Ferris Wheel. SAVE UP TO 53% and create the ultimate day out by combining your lastminute.com London Eye ticket with a trip to 2 other top London attractions from just £45pp! You can take a vehicle from Old Street (Station) to London Eye via London Bridge station and Waterloo station in around 16 min. Over the years, the Eye has carried the Olympic torch and countless celebrities, and has become a popular location for films including family favorites such as "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" and "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix."​. Originally it was known as the Millennium Eye or Millennium Wheel as it was launched in the year 2000. The Eye is rather used be being toppled from first place: it used to be London's highest public viewing point too. The London Eye finally opened to the paying public in 9 March 2000. History of the Eye. Renovations were deemed impractical, so the City of London resolved to b… First, it was called the British Airways London Eye; then the Merlin Entertainments London Eye; then the EDF Energy London Eye. Somebody comes around every few minutes to confirm that you were in the queue in time. The ride takes 30 minutes, and carries you up to a height of 135 metres - taller than a football field is long The London Eye has dimensions which the bag must be within to be able to taken onto the capsule. Please note that children aged 15 years or younger must be accompanied onto The London Eye by an adult aged 18 years or older. Its construction took 7 years and was completed in 1999. Rome2rio is a door-to-door travel information and booking engine, helping you get to and from any location in the world. The Eye is supported by an A-frame on just one side, and the carriages are outside the wheel rim instead of hanging low. © 2021 Londonist, All rights reserved. According to CN Traveler, Kate Moss has taken to the wheel a whopping 25 times; while at last count Jessica Alba has made a remarkable 31 trips on the Eye. The London Eye is located in London and when you are on it you get a fabulous view of London. Formally opened at the turn of the Millennium on 31 December 1999, The London Eye is one of our capital’s most iconic and widely-loved landmarks. But it's been pushed into fourth place, surpassed by the 520ft (158m) Star of Nanchang in 2006, the 541ft (165m) tall Singapore Flyer in 2008, and Las Vegas's 550ft (168m) High Roller, built in 2014. Don't call it a Ferris Wheel. It was supposed to be temporary. The enormous London Eye is difficult to miss. The Olympic torch took a ride on top of the London Eye in 2012, held by 17 year old Amelia Hempleman-Adams, the youngest person to ski to the South Pole. The more you know! The coolest London events from our partners. When it was built in 1999, the 443ft (135m) tall wheel was the world's tallest. There are 32 capsules or one for each of the London boroughs. Although no winner was declared, Marks and Barfield undertook the development of … Top 10 London Attractions, from Trafalgar to the Tate, Know What to Expect Before You Visit the London Eye, Get High on the World's Tallest Observation Wheels, Get a Wild Look at the Parks Aboard Orlando’s Icon Observation Wheel, 11 Best Things to Do in Newcastle Upon Tyne, How to Get From Luton Airport to Central London. (The British Museum holds the record for the most popular free attraction, welcoming more than 6m visitors each year.). The London Eye can carry 800 passengers per rotation, which is equivalent to 11 London red. The London Eye was preceded by The Great Wheel, a 40-car ferris wheel built for the Empire of India Exhibition at Earls Court. In 2013, the second capsule was named the Coronation Capsule to mark the 60th anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and bestowed with a special plaque. All material on this site is the property of Londonist Ltd. Related Images: london england ferris wheel landmark city tourist sightseeing skyline. The Great Wheel — modelled on the original Ferris Wheel from Chicago — opened to the public on 17 July 1895. In July 2002, Lambeth Council granted the Eye a permanent licence. Opening times: Almost everyday open from 11:00 till 18:00 o'clock, in spring and summer also from 10:00 till 21:30 o'clock, special opening hours on some days. Can I book only a child ticket online? Following a dispute between the Southbank Centre (which owns the land beneath one of the struts) and the London Eye, a 25-year lease was agreed on 8 February 2006. As part of the lease agreement, the London Eye provides the South Bank Centre (a publicly funded charity) with at least £500,000 a year. Built to celebrate the millennium, the London Eye only started carrying public passengers in March of that year. It opened in 1895 and stayed in service until 1906. Is the London Eye suitable for children? Tickets cost £2 and the journey takes 25 min. The London Eye is busiest between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. during the UK school holidays, and is quieter at the beginning and end of their …