Image by Black Taxi Tours of London
Towering gracefully above the River Thames, the London Eye has become one of the city’s most recognisable landmarks. Although it looks as though it has always been part of London’s skyline, this giant observation wheel is surprisingly young.
The London Eye was created to celebrate the turn of the millennium and officially opened in 2000. Designed by architects David Marks and Julia Barfield, it was originally intended as a temporary attraction, with permission to stand for just five years. Thankfully, Londoners and visitors fell in love with it, and the “temporary” wheel became a permanent fixture of the capital.
Standing 135 metres (443 feet) tall, it was once the tallest observation wheel in the world, offering breathtaking 360-degree views stretching as far as Windsor Castle on a clear day. Each of its 32 glass capsules represents one of London’s boroughs, and because the wheel rotates at a leisurely 26 centimetres per second, passengers can usually board without it ever stopping.
One of the London Eye’s most amusing stories happened during its construction. On 31 December 1999, the wheel was due to be unveiled as part of the Millennium celebrations, but there was one small problem. Engineers couldn’t get it fully upright in time! Instead of dazzling the crowds in its vertical position, the giant wheel spent New Year’s Eve lying almost flat on floating platforms in the Thames. It finally stood tall several weeks later before opening to the public in March 2000, a slightly delayed debut that has long since been forgotten.
Today, millions of visitors ride the London Eye each year, making it one of the UK’s most popular paid attractions. Whether you’re visiting London for the first time or returning to rediscover the city, a gentle rotation above the Thames offers an unforgettable perspective on centuries of history, from the Houses of Parliament to St Paul’s Cathedral and beyond.