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The London Eye
Information
Location	Western end of Jubilee Gardens, on the South Bank of the River Thames, London, Great Britain
Status	Complete
Constructed	1999
Use	Observation wheel
Height
Roof	135 metres (443 ft)
Companies
Architect	David Marks, Julia Barfield, Malcolm Cook, Mark Sparrowhawk, Steven Chilton, Frank Anatole and Nic Bailey
Structural Engineer	corey rocks

The London Eye, also known as the Millennium Wheel, is an observation wheel in London, England. At the time of building, it was the biggest in the world, although there are now larger wheels, such as The Star of Nanchang, which was opened in May 2006. The Singapore Flyer, with a diameter 15 metres more than the London Eye, is due to open in early 2008.^[1] Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2100x1400, 1282 KB) Summary This photo is of the London Eye on the 7th of April 2006 as viewed from the rear. ... Jubilee Gardens was created in 1977 to mark the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II and sits at the heart of London’s cultural centre, South Bank. ... This article is about the River Thames in southern England. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Singapore Flyer (under construction) The British Airways London Eye observation wheel on the banks of the River Thames near the Houses of Parliament, London, England Five capsules of the London Eye observation wheel. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... The Star of Nanchang, the worlds tallest ferris wheel, stands at 160 meters high and is located in the eastern Chinese city of Nanchang, the provincial capital of Jiangxi Province. ... The Singapore Flyer (Chinese: 新加坡摩天观景轮) is an observation wheel to be built in Singapore by 2008. ...

The London Eye has become the most popular paid visitor attraction in the UK, visited by over 3.5 million people a year.[1]

The London Eye stands 135 metres (443 ft) high on the western end of Jubilee Gardens, on the South Bank of the River Thames in London, England, between Westminster and Hungerford Bridges. This article is about the unit of length. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... Jubilee Gardens was created in 1977 to mark the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II and sits at the heart of London’s cultural centre, South Bank. ... The National Theatre is one of the collection of arts buildings that make up the South Bank Centre. ... This article is about the River Thames in southern England. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Westminster Bridge and the Palace of Westminster, with a glimpse of Westminster Abbey behind the tower of Big Ben. ... Hungerford Bridge and Golden Jubilee Bridges, seen from the north The Hungerford Bridge runs over the River Thames in London, between Waterloo Bridge and Westminster Bridge. ...

Design and construction

Each of the 32 capsules holds approximately 25 people.

Eye pod

Designed by architects David Marks, Julia Barfield, Malcolm Cook, Mark Sparrowhawk, Steven Chilton, Frank Anatole and Nic Bailey, the wheel carries 32 sealed and air-conditioned passenger capsules attached to its external circumference. Each capsule holds approximately 25 people. It rotates at 26 cm (10 in) per second (about 0.9 km/h (0.5mph) so that one revolution takes about 30 minutes. The wheel does not usually stop to take on passengers: the rotation rate is so slow that they can easily walk on and off the moving capsules at ground level. It is, however, stopped to allow disabled or elderly passengers time to embark and disembark safely. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 799 × 599 pixelsFull resolution‎ (2,981 × 2,236 pixels, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 799 × 599 pixelsFull resolution‎ (2,981 × 2,236 pixels, file size: 1. ... This article is about building architecture. ...

The Eye's bicycle wheel-like appearance

The rim of the Eye is supported by tie rods and resembles a huge spoked bicycle wheel, and was depicted as such in a poster advertising a charity cycle race. The lighting for the London Eye was redone with LED lighting from Color Kinetics in December 2006 to allow digital control of the lights as opposed to the manual replacement of gels over fluorescent tubes.^[2] Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 1. ... A tie rod is a slender structural rod used as a tie and capable of carrying tensile loads only. ... For other uses, see Bicycle (disambiguation). ... External links LEd Category: TeX ... Color Kinetics is an American LED lighting company based out of Massachusetts. ... Fluorescence induced by exposure to ultraviolet light in vials containing various sized cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots. ...

The wheel was constructed in sections which were floated up the Thames on barges and assembled lying flat on pontoons. Once the wheel was complete it was raised into an upright position by cranes, being lifted at 2 degrees an hour until it reached 65 degrees. It was left in that position for a week while engineers prepared for the second phase of the lift. The total weight of steel in the Eye is 1,700 tonnes (1,870 short tons). The London Eye was built in The Netherlands by the company Hollandia. For the car body style, see Ponton (automobile). ...

History

It was opened by British Prime Minister Tony Blair at 20:00 GMT on December 31, 1999, although it was not opened to the public until March 2000 because of technical problems. Since its opening, the Eye, operated by Merlin Entertainments but sponsored by British Airways, has become a major landmark and tourist attraction. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is, in practice, the political leader of the United Kingdom. ... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Merlin Entertainments is the biggest attractions operator in Europe and currently the second largest operating globally after Disney. ... For the 1930s airline of similar name, see British Airways Ltd. ...

By July 2002, roughly 8.5 million people had ridden the Eye. It had planning permission only for five years, but at that time Lambeth Council agreed to plans to make the attraction permanent.

Since 1 January 2005, the Eye has been the focal point of London's New Year celebrations, with 10-minute fireworks displays taking place involving fireworks fired from the wheel itself. is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Fireworks (disambiguation). ...

Following Merlin Entertainments purchase of the Tussauds Group in 2007, it owns 100% of the Eye, with British Airways continuing its brand association, and also having provided the original construction loans. The Tussauds Group, British Airways and the Marks Barfield family (the lead architects) had previously owned a third of the Eye each.

In August of 2007, it was announced that London Eye could be temporarily renamed "The McCartney Eye" after Sir Paul McCartney of the Beatles. The renaming would coincide with the release of a McCartney related DVD set titled "The McCartney Years".^[3]

Financial controversy

On 25 May 2005, there were reports of a leaked letter showing that the South Bank Centre — owners of part of the land on which the struts of the eye are located — had served a notice to quit on the attraction along with a demand for an increase in rent from £65,000 per year to £2.5 million, which the operators rejected as unaffordable [2]. is the 145th day of the year (146th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The South Bank Centre is a complex of arts buildings located on the south bank of the River Thames beside the Hungerford Bridge. ...

On 25 May 2005, London mayor Ken Livingstone vowed that the landmark would remain in London. He also pledged that if the row were not resolved he would use his powers to ask the London Development Agency to issue a compulsory purchase order [3]. The land in question is a small part of the Jubilee Gardens, which was given to the SBC for £1 when the Greater London Council was broken up. is the 145th day of the year (146th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Kenneth Robert Livingstone (born June 17, 1945) became Mayor of London on the creation of the post in 2000 having previously been Labour Leader of the Greater London Council from 1981 until it was abolished in 1986. ... The London Development Agency is an agency of the Greater London Authority that is responsible for development in Greater London. ... Jubilee Gardens was created in 1977 to mark the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II and sits at the heart of London’s cultural centre, South Bank. ... Arms of the Greater London Council The Greater London Council (GLC) was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. ...

The South Bank Centre and the British Airways London Eye agreed a 25-year lease on 8 February 2006, after a judicial review over the rent row. The lease agreement meant that the South Bank Centre, a publicly-funded charity, would receive at least £500,000 a year from the attraction, the status of which is secured for the foreseeable future. Tussauds also announced the acquisition of the entire one-third interests of British Airways and the Marks Barfield family in the Eye, as well as the outstanding debt to BA. These agreements gave Tussauds 100% ownership of the Eye and resolved the debt from the Eye's construction loan from British Airways, which stood at more than £150 million by mid-2005 and had been increasing at 25% per annum.[4] is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Critical Reception

Sir Richard Rogers, winner of the 2007 Pritzker Architecture Prize, wrote of the London Eye in a recent book about the project, Richard George Rogers, Baron Rogers of Riverside (born 23 July 1933) is a British architect noted for his modernist and functionalist designs. ... The Pritzker Architecture Prize is awarded annually to honor a living architect by the Hyatt Foundation, run by the Pritzker family. ...

^[4] This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... The Eiffel Tower (French: , ) is an iron tower built on the Champ de Mars beside the River Seine in Paris. ... This article is about the capital of France. ...

Writing for G2 in an article from August 2007, Steve Rose described the Eye as follows, G2 or G-2 may be: The term G2 is used in many industries to refer to intelligence gathered from the field or customers about a competitors products or plans G2 (Generic Gamers), a Washington State based consortium of game and anime enthusiasts G2 (Guatemala), a government secret police...

^[5]

Predecessor

A predecessor to the London Eye, called the "Great Wheel of London", was built in Earl's Court in 1895. Capable of carrying 1,200 people, it closed in 1906. [5]

Photo gallery

The London Eye Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 480 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (2,400 × 3,000 pixels, file size: 5. ...	The London Eye at night, viewed from Westminster bridge Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (2,048 × 1,536 pixels, file size: 1. ...	One of 32 sealed and air conditioned passenger capsules Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1524x2032, 693 KB) Summary Inside one of 32 sealed and air conditioned passenger capsules on the London Eye. ...	The Houses of Parliament as viewed from inside a capsule Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution‎ (2,160 × 1,440 pixels, file size: 920 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) The Houses of Parliament as viewed from the London Eye. ...
Closer shot of St. Stephen's Tower from London Eye Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1944x2592, 3910 KB) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ...	View of The Barbican and St. Paul's from London Eye Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (2,592 × 1,944 pixels, file size: 3. ...	The Eye Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (2,304 × 3,072 pixels, file size: 1. ...	Cascading capsules Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 480 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (2,400 × 3,000 pixels, file size: 4. ...

The London Eye in film and television

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This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. WikiProject Film or the Film Portal may be able to help recruit one. If a more appropriate WikiProject or portal exists, please adjust this template accordingly. This article has been tagged since September 2007. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Prose is writing distinguished from poetry by its greater variety of rhythm and its closer resemblance to everyday speech. ... Image File history File links Emblem-important. ...

The London Eye is sometimes seen when London is used as a backdrop or a location for films and television.

• The Eye is seen, motionless, in the scenes of a deserted London in the early part of the film 28 Days Later (2002).
• It is seen in episode 11 of the animated series Death Note.
• It is one of the locations of Bride and Prejudice (2004)
• In 2005, it was used on the reality show The Amazing Race Season 7, in which teams had to go to the top of the London Eye to search for a location with the help of binoculars.
• In the 2004 movie Thunderbirds, Thunderbird 2 flies through London and lands next to the London Eye.
• Two characters from the comedy show The League of Gentlemen are seen riding it in the spin-off The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse, much to the confusion of nearby tourists.
• On The Simpsons, Homer and Marge Simpson rode on it in search of their children (Bart and Lisa) in "The Regina Monologues" episode, where their capsule becomes a detachable floatation device.
• Part of BBMak's music video "Back Here" was filmed on the wheel.
• An episode of Hustle opens with a confidence scheme trying to sell someone the London Eye.
• The movie If Only has a scene that takes place in a private capsule of the London Eye.
• Wimbledon, starring Kirsten Dunst, also features a scene on the London Eye.
• In an episode of EastEnders, Jim proposed to Dot in one of the capsules of the London Eye.
• In an episode of Dead Ringers, Jon Culshaw dresses as The Doctor and warns people not to listen to the messages over the speaker system because, 'It's a trap!"
• The movie Agent Cody Banks 2 had a scene in a car of the London Eye.
• In the season one final of Tripping Over Tamsin and Sam hold their wedding in one of the pods.
• The Indian Telugu movie Jayam Manadera starring Venkatesh and Soundarya has a song in which the Eye is seen from all the corners of London.
• In 2007 in an episode of Neighbours, Karl proposed to Susan in one of the capsules of.
• In the 2007 movie Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, the London Eye is threatened when the Silver Surfer creates a whirlpool, forcing the team to prevent it falling into the Thames.
• It is featured during a "Wizard Chase" scene in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
• It is shown in Bollywood movie Namaste London in a song.
• It is seen when Austin Powers enters his new London headquarters in Goldmember.
• A scene of the Tracy Beaker movie takes place in the Eye when Tracy talks to her mum.
• In the 2005 Doctor Who episode Rose the London Eye was used as a communication/control device for the Nestene Consciousness.

28 Days Later is a 2002 British post-apocalyptic science fiction horror film directed by Danny Boyle and starring Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris and Christopher Eccleston. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Death note redirects here. ... This article is about the 2004 Bollywood style film. ... This article is about the reality show format in general. ... The Amazing Race 7 was the seventh installment of the popular reality television show, The Amazing Race. ... Thunderbirds is a 2004 science fiction-adventure film based upon the Thunderbirds television series of the 1960s, directed by Jonathan Frakes. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The League of Gentlemens Apocalypse is a film spin-off from the popular British television comedy series The League of Gentlemen. ... Simpsons redirects here. ... Homer Simpson is also a character in the book and film The Day of the Locust. ... Marjorie Marge Simpson (née Bouvier) is a fictional character featured in the animated television series The Simpsons and is voiced by Julie Kavner. ... For the comic book series of the same name, see Bart Simpson comics. ... Lisa Marie Simpson is a character in the animated television series The Simpsons, voiced by Yeardley Smith; Lisa is the only character Smith voices on a regular basis. ... The Regina Monologues is the fourth episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season, which originally aired November 23, 2003. ... BBMak (Christian Burns, Mark Barry, Stephen McNally) were an English pop group consisting of Mark Barry, Christian Burns and Stephen McNally. ... The Hustle team (L–R): Ash Morgan, Albert Stroller, Mickey Stone, Stacie Monroe, and Danny Blue Hustle is a British television drama series made by Kudos Film & Television for BBC One. ... Confidence Man redirects here. ... If Only is a 2004 film directed by Gil Junger. ... Wimbledon is a film released in September 2004. ... Kirsten[1] Caroline Dunst (born April 30, 1982) is an American actress, known for her roles in Interview with the Vampire (for which she received a Golden Globe nomination), The Virgin Suicides, Marie Antoinette, and Bring It On, as well as for her portrayal of Mary Jane Watson in the... EastEnders is a popular BBC television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC1 on 19 February 1985[4] and continuing to date. ... Dead Ringers is a UK radio and television comedy impressions show broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Two. ... Jonathan Peter Culshaw (born 2 June 1968 in Ormskirk, Lancashire) is a British impressionist and comedian. ... This article is about the television series. ... Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London is the sequel to the 2003 film Agent Cody Banks, and was released in the United States on March 12, 2004. ... Tripping Over is a British/Australian six-part drama series. ... “Telugu” redirects here. ... Venkatesh is one of the most famous actors in Telugu film Industry, Tollywood. ... Soundarya (July 17, 1971 - April 17, 2004) was a film actress in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam films. ... This article is about an Australian soap opera. ... Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a 2007 fantasy adventure film, based on the novel of the same name, by J. K. Rowling. ... Bollywood (Hindi: , Urdu: ) is the informal name given to the popular Mumbai-based Hindi-language film industry in India. ... Namastey London (Hindi: नमस्ते लंदन, Urdu: نمستے لندن Namaste Landan) is a Bollywood film directed by Vipul Amrutlal Shah and set in London, England, United Kingdom. ... Austin Powers in Goldmember, released in 2002, is the third film of the Austin Powers series starring Mike Myers in the title role. ... The Story of Tracy Beaker cover. ... This article is about the television series. ... Rose is an episode in the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who that was first broadcast on 26 March 2005. ...

See also

• Millennium Dome
• Beetham Tower
• Tall buildings in London

The O2 redirects here. ... The Beetham Tower also known as Jumeirah Tower, is a skyscraper being planned for the South Bank, London. ... 30 St. ...

Nearest rail and tube stations

National Rail

• Waterloo station

National Rail uses the BR double-arrow logo A typical National Rail station sign showing the double-arrow logo National Rail is a brand name of the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC). ... For other uses, see Waterloo station (disambiguation). ...

London Underground

• Westminster tube station (Jubilee, District, Circle lines)
• Waterloo station (Waterloo & City, Bakerloo, Jubilee, Northern lines)

The London Underground is an underground railway system - also known as a rapid transit system - that serves a large part of Greater London, United Kingdom and some neighbouring areas. ... For other items relating to Westminster, see Westminster (disambiguation) Westminster tube station on the London Underground serves the Circle, District and Jubilee lines. ... For other uses, see Waterloo station (disambiguation). ...

"River Bus" services

• Waterloo Pier (Tate and Tower Visitor services)

Thames Clippers are a water-bus service operating in London on the River Thames. ... Waterloo Pier is a pier in Central London that opened in 2000. ...

References

1. ^ Wong, Mun Wai. "Singapore Flyer may open to public earlier than scheduled", Channel NewsAsia, 3 August 2007. Retrieved on 2007-08-19. 
2. ^ http://colorkinetics.com/showcase/installs/londoneye/
3. ^ Paul McCartn-eye: PLANS TO RENAME LONDON EYE AFTER BEATLE MACCA. Retrieved on 2007-08-15.
4. ^ Marks Barfield Architects. (2007)Eye: The story behind the London Eye Black Dog Publishing, London UK
5. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2007/aug/30/uk.london

This article or section is missing citations or needs footnotes. Using inline citations helps guard against copyright violations and factual inaccuracies.

Channel NewsAsia (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ; abbreviated CNA) is a pan-Asian news channel based in Singapore and owned by MediaCorp. ... is the 215th day of the year (216th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 231st day of the year (232nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 227th day of the year (228th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Emblem-important. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

London Eye

• Official website
• Architects website
• London Eye in the Structurae database
• Short Film from A-Level media students featuring the wheel.
• 360 Panorama underneath the London Eye

Coordinates: 51.5033° N 0.1197° W Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Structurae is an on-line database containing works of structural and civil engineering of all kinds such as Bridges, High-rise buildings, towers, dams, etc. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...