London Eye, revolving , or Ferris wheel, in , on the of the in the borough of . At an overall height of 443 feet (135 metres), the London Eye was the world’s tallest Ferris wheel from 1999, when it was built, until 2006, when it was surpassed by the Star of Nanchang, in , China. It is one of London’s most popular tourist attractions for which an admission fee is charged and is sometimes credited with sparking a worldwide revival of Ferris wheel construction.London Eye(more)What is now called the London Eye originated as an entry submitted by David Marks and Julia Barfield of Marks Barfield Architects in 1993 to a competition, sponsored by and Great Britain’s Architecture Foundation, for a new landmark to commemorate the in London. Although no winner was declared, Marks and Barfield undertook the development of the project themselves and found the site where the wheel now stands. Much of the funding was provided by . Construction began in 1998, and the wheel was put together over the river, in a horizontal position, before being pulled upright. The London Eye, as it was called by this time, was ceremonially “opened” by Prime Minister on December 31, 1999, but did not admit its first paying passenger until March 9, 2000. Originally scheduled to be dismantled after five years, it was kept in place because of continued popularity. In 2006 a decorative lighting system was installed in order to make the wheel more prominent after dark.The hub of the wheel rests on two supports, which are anchored to a foundation on the riverbank and lean out over the river at an angle of 65° (from the horizontal). With both its supports on the same side of the hub, the wheel is said to be over the river. The entirety of the structure is held in place by six backstay cables anchored to a second foundation., Explore our range of London Eye tickets, including standard, fast track, and group options. Enjoy the best prices and a seamless booking process., The London Eye, originally the Millennium Wheel, is a cantilevered observation wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames in London. It is the world's tallest cantilevered observation wheel, [10] and the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom with over three million visitors annually. [11].