The London Eye
The London Eye is one of the best places in London to be able to see many of the sight that this amazing city has to offer visitors as on a clear day you can see for over 25 miles from the top of it.
The London Eye was built in 1999 and it open for the first time on 9 March 2000, and it was at the time, the largest Ferris wheel in the world. Right now the London Eye is still the tallest in Europe and it stands at 135 m tall.
The London Eye or the EDF Energy London Eye as it is now known has also been called the Millennium Wheel, the Merlin Entertainments London Eye and the British Airways London Eye.
The London Eye is located on the south bank of the River Thames towards the western end of Jubilee Gardens and it receives more than three half-million visitors each year all of whom want to experience a ride in one of the 32 capsules that take 30 minutes to complete each rotation.
The passenger capsules are large enough for the people in them to walk around and really get a fantastic look at the various landmarks that are around London.
Each capsule can hold up to 25 people although it is possible to hire out an entire capsule for special events or occasions. The Eye itself will not start rotating to allow passengers to get on and off as it travels slow enough for people to do this without any problems.
Constructing The London Eye
In order to construct the London Eye the various sections of it had to be floated up the River Thames on a series of barges. Once they were all at their destination the wheel was built laying on its side.
As soon as this was completed the wheel was raised into its standing position, a process that took more than 24 hours to complete.
London Eye Tickets
Visitors who want to take a trip on the London Eye will not usually need to book in advance unless there is a special event that had been planned, but it is recommended because pre-booked tickets are cheaper.
As the Eye can hold so many people at any one time there is usually a minimal wait, however if you are trying to make the most of your time in London you may want to pre-book a fast-track London Eye ticket as this will allow you to get on the London Eye at the time that you want.
