Hotels near the London Eye

A remarkable feat of design and engineering, the London Eye is the world’s largest cantilevered observation wheel at 443 feet tall. It opened to the public in early 2000 and has now become the most popular paid tourist attraction in the UK, largely due to its observation pods which offer an incredible bird’s-eye view of the city’s landmarks.

The London Eye is 135 metres (443 ft) tall and the wheel has a diameter of 120 metres (394 ft). On opening to the public in 2000 it was the world’s tallest Ferris wheel but has since been surpassed by three other Ferris wheels, Star of Nanchang (160 metres tall), Singapore Flyer (165 metres) and High Roller (167 metres).

There’s another record that the London Eye held for a brief period; that of the highest pubic viewing point in London. The opening of The Shard in 2013 broke that record with its 245-metre-high viewing deck on the 72nd floor.

Despite its impressive size, the London Eye ranks only 46th in the list of the tallest structures in London which is, once again, dominated by the colossal 310m height of The Shard. The London Eye is significantly taller though than Big Ben by over 35 metres.

The impressive structure of the London Eye is not solely down to its frame but also its 32 observation pods or ‘passenger capsules’ which each weigh 10-tonnes and hold up to 25 people as they rotate at 10 inches per second.

The London Eye is designed to operate in all weather conditions including wind and rain, but, from time to time, if there are severe gusting winds or weather conditions it may be stopped for a short period.

All of the observation pods on the London Eye are temperature controlled with either heating or air conditioning to reflect the current weather conditions.

The London Eye is not designed to be a scary attraction although due to its height and curved glass observation pods, if you have a fear of heights then you may find it a particularly intense experience.

The London Eye is situated in the borough of Lambeth, on the South Bank of the River Thames between Westminster Bridge and Hungerford Bridge, directly opposite the Houses of Parliament. The ticket office is located inside County Hall, directly next to the London Eye.