London Eye

The London Eye is a Ferris wheel. It is also known as the Millennium Wheel and is one of the largest observation wheels in the world. The London Eye is at the western end of Jubilee Garden, on the South Bank of the river Thames, between Westminster Bridge and Hungerford Bridge. The Eye was opened in 2000. It is 135 metres (443 feet) high. At the time it was built, in 1999, it was the tallest giant wheel in the world, and at present it is Europe's tallest Ferris wheel. It offered the highest public viewing point in London. The 245-metre (804-foot) observation deck on the 72nd floor of The Shard is now the highest public view of London. It is the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom: there are over 2.2 million visitors annually, and the Eye has made many appearances in popular culture. The London Eye was overtaken in height by the Star of Nanchang, which is 160 metres (520 feet) high. On 11 February 2008, the Singapore Flyer overtook the Star of Nanchang with 165 metres (541 feet). In 2018-19 a plan for a taller observation wheel named the Whey Aye was proposed for Newcastle upon Tyne