The London Eye
The London Eye was meant to stand for five years, was lifted into place like a giant drawbridge, and has a capsule numbered 33 but no 13.
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Quick Facts
- Location
- South Bank of the River Thames, London, opposite the Houses of Parliament
- Opened
- Launched on 31 December 1999; open to the public from 9 March 2000
- Height
- 135 metres (443 feet)
- Wheel diameter
- 120 metres
- Capsules
- 32, each holding up to 25 people
- Ride length
- About 30 minutes for one full rotation
- Designers
- David Marks and Julia Barfield of Marks Barfield Architects
- Original name
- The Millennium Wheel
The wheel that lost a competition and won London
The London Eye began as an entry nobody wanted. In 1993, architects David Marks and Julia Barfield, a married couple, submitted a design for a competition to create a landmark for the millennium. No winner was ever built. They kept going anyway. Their idea of a giant observation wheel beside the Thames was rescued by sponsorship from British Airways, and the project grew into the Millennium Wheel. It was designed as a temporary attraction, expected to last about five years. Londoners took to it so quickly that it was never taken down, and it has been a permanent part of the skyline ever since.
Built flat, lifted like a drawbridge
The construction method is as memorable as the wheel itself. The Eye was assembled lying flat on platforms in the Thames, with the pieces brought in by barge from across Europe. The steel, cables, bearings and glass came from several countries, and the rim was made in the Netherlands. In autumn 1999 it was slowly winched upright, rising a few degrees at a time over about a week. Crowds watched a vast circle of steel tilt up from the river. The wheel weighs around 2,100 tonnes and is held by a huge A-frame on one side only. That makes it a cantilevered structure, so it appears to hang over the water without a support on the river side.
The missed midnight
The Eye was officially launched on New Year's Eve 1999, with fireworks and a ceremony. But the public could not ride it that night. A technical fault with the passenger capsules delayed opening, and the first paying visitors did not board until 9 March 2000. It arrived a little late, but it quickly became one of the most visited paid attractions in Britain. It also became part of London's celebrations, and its position on the Thames makes it a backdrop for New Year's Eve fireworks.
Why there is no capsule 13
There are 32 capsules, one for each London borough. Yet they are numbered from 1 to 33, and number 13 is missing. London's superstition about the unlucky number is built into the wheel. Each capsule is a sealed glass pod weighing around ten tonnes. They hang on the outside of the rim and are kept level by motors, so you never tip as the wheel turns. The wheel keeps moving as you board, creeping along at about 26 centimetres a second, slow enough for visitors to step on and off. It can be stopped when wheelchair users or anyone needing assistance has to board or leave safely.
Ferris wheel or not? Records and myths
For several years the Eye was the tallest Ferris wheel in the world. That title passed on when taller wheels were built in Nanchang, Singapore and Las Vegas. Strictly speaking, it is not a traditional Ferris wheel at all. Its capsules sit outside the rim rather than hanging below it, and it is supported from one side. The Eye is more accurately an observation wheel. On a clear day the view stretches for about 25 miles, with Windsor Castle on the western horizon.
What to look for when you go
Before you board, look at the structure from the riverbank. The cables, spokes and rim are as elegant from below as the view is from the top. As the capsule rises, look across the river to the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. They sit directly opposite, and the view gets better as you climb. Further along are the Shard, St Paul's Cathedral and the bends of the Thames. The slow rotation gives you time to look properly. A full circuit takes about half an hour, so the capsule moves at a pace that suits a good look around.
Notable people
- David Marks
- Julia Barfield
Test yourself
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