LONDON EYEMillennium Wheel

The London Eye is a modern, but already very popular tourist attraction. A giant observation wheel is located in the Jubilee Gardens on the South

Bank of Thames. The 135 meter-tall structure was built as part of London's millennium celebrations. The London Eye was opened on

31 December 1999.

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The structure was designed by the architectural team of David Marks and Julia Barfield, husband and wife. They submitted their idea for a large observation wheel as part of a competition to design a landmark for the new millennium.

Though none of the entrants won the competition,the couple pressed on and eventually got the backing of British Airways, who sponsored the project.

A Landmark for the new Millennium

Construction of the observation wheel took more than a year and a half to complete.The wheel was constructed in sections which were floated up the Thames on barges and assembled lying flat on piled platforms in the river.

Once the wheel was complete it was lifted into an upright position.

Construction

Capsules

There is a total of 32 futuristic looking capsules representing each borough of London, though they are numbered up to 33. There is no capsule number 13. Each egg-shaped capsule is eight meters long and weighs 10 tonnes. It holds up to 25 passengers, who are free to walk around inside the capsule. The rim

has a diameter of 122m, 80 spoke cabels connect the rim with the spindle.

The Observation WheelThe observation wheel turns slow enough for people to embark while it is moving.

It takes about 30 minutes to complete a turn. Thanks to the construction of the glass capsules on the outer side of the rim, the passengers can enjoy

360-degree view over London.

Many famous landmarks are clearly visible, including Buckingham Palace, St. Paul's Cathedral, the Houses of Parliament and even Windsor Castle. On a clear

day you can see as far as 40 kilometers.

It's less crowded at night when the views are even more spectacular.More than 36 million people have been on the London Eye and the wheel has

completed 45000 rotations.

Wheel at sunrise