London Eye
The London Eye, or the Millennium Wheel, is a cantilevered observation wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames in London. It is Europe's tallest cantilevered observation wheel, and the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom with over three million visitors annually. It has made many appearances in popular culture.
| London Eye | |
|---|---|
| Alternative names | Millennium Wheel |
| General information | |
| Status | Operating |
| Type | Observation wheel |
| Location | Lambeth, London |
| Address | Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road |
| Coordinates | 51.5033°N 0.1194°W |
| Completed | March 2000 |
| Opened |
|
| Cost | £70 million |
| Owner | Merlin Entertainments |
| Height | 135 metres (443 ft) |
| Dimensions | |
| Diameter | 120 metres (394 ft) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) |
|
| Architecture firm | Marks Barfield |
| Structural engineer | Arup |
| Other designers |
|
| Awards and prizes | Institution of Structural Engineers Special Award 2001 |
| Other information | |
| Public transit access | Waterloo Westminster |
| Website | |
| londoneye | |
The structure is 135 metres (443 ft) tall and the wheel has a diameter of 120 metres (394 ft). When it opened to the public in 2000 it was the world's tallest Ferris wheel. Its height was surpassed by the 140 metres (459 ft) Sun of Moscow in 2022, the 160 metres (525 ft) Star of Nanchang in 2006, the 165 metres (541 ft) Singapore Flyer in 2008, the 167 metres (548 ft) High Roller (Las Vegas) in 2014, and the 250 metres (820 ft) Ain Dubai in 2021. Supported by an A-frame on one side only, unlike these taller examples, the Eye is described by its operators as "the world's tallest cantilevered observation wheel". The Eye offered the highest public viewing point in London until it was superseded by the 245-metre-high (804 ft) observation deck on the 72nd floor of The Shard in early 2013.
The London Eye adjoins the western end of Jubilee Gardens (previously the site of the former Dome of Discovery), on the South Bank of the River Thames between Westminster Bridge and Hungerford Bridge beside County Hall, in the London Borough of Lambeth. The nearest tube station is Waterloo.