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London Eye
If you walk through the city of London, you simply can't get past the London Eye. No wonder: after all, the Ferris wheel on the south bank of the Thames is one of the great landmarks of the English capital and also an important part of the London skyline.
Great view over London
With a total height of 135 metres, it is the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe and therefore impossible to miss. The Ferris wheel that is also known as Millennium Wheel was opened at the beginning of March 2000 after an intensive construction time of nearly two years with a big applause. If the weather is optimal, one can enjoy a great view from the London Eye over the whole region of London and look almost 40 kilometres far. Thus, the ride with the unique Ferris wheel will surely be an unforgettable experience for every visitor.
Originally, the London Eye was supposed to exist only for five years. But due to the unexpectedly great success, the Ferris wheel, which is also extremely popular with numerous celebrities, became a permanent attraction in the British capital and has long been one of the most popular tourist destinations in the whole of Great Britain.
- View from a gondola to the evening London
32 glass gondolas, spectacular view
The Ferris wheel consists of a total of 32 enclosed glass gondolas. These are numbered from 1 to 33. The famous "unlucky number" 13 is missing because of the superstition of the builders. Each of the gondolas represents one of the altogether 32 London boroughs. The gondolas, each of which weighs ten tons, each offer standing room for up to 25 people. Thus, there is a total of 800 people per rotation in the London Eye. But there is also a bench in the middle of each gondola. The single gondolas can also be rented for special company events or special private occasions. Due to a very special technical construction with two constantly rotating rings, the gondolas are always in a horizontal position.
The London Eye team around the two architects David Marks and Julia Barfield has already received several international and national awards for its unique architecture. The London Eye, which cost a total of 75 million pounds, is only anchored on one side to a large triangular frame and is thus also known as the largest cantilevered observation wheel in the world. A total rotation with the Ferris wheel takes a total of 34 minutes. The low speed of just under 1 Km/h makes it possible for passengers to climb on during the ride. If elderly people or also wheelchair users want to enter the Ferris wheel, the Ferris wheel is stopped in each case.
- The gondolas of the London Eye
Big rush during the summer months
Except for the time of the annual maintenance that takes place between January 9th and 24th, the London Eye is open every day. The busiest time for visitors is during the summer period from May 27 to September 3. During this time, millions of tourists from all over the world and locals can ride the spectacular Ferris wheel from 10am to 8.30pm each day. In the evening, a very special atmosphere is created at the London Eye. This is due to the special coloured lighting created by French conceptual artist Yann Kersale. Every 16 seconds the colour of the light changes. An adult ticket for a ride on the Ferris wheel costs €24.95. Children between the ages of 4 and 15 pay 18.95 euros for a ticket. Small children up to the age of three ride for free.
