One of the most visited places in London is the London Eye. It is actually a Ferris wheel, the biggest of its kind in Europe and was the biggest wheel in the world when it opened in 1999. Currently known with the official name The Merlin Entertainments London Eye, it is also called the Millenium Wheel since it was opened at the start of the 20th century. The Eye stands 135 feet above the waters of the river Thames. From the eye, you can view other popular tourist attractions such as the Westminster Bridge, Hungerford Bridge and the Houses of Parliament. It is considered one of the most significant structures in the world that puts the British flag in history once again.
The Ferris wheel was so big that it took weeks for it to be raised in its upward position. The Eye looks like a big bicycle wheel from a distance and weighs around 1800 tons. There are 32 passenger capsules weighing almost ten tons and are attached to the circumference of the wheel. The egg-shaped capsules are air conditioned and are big enough to accommodate 25 persons who can roam around the capsule, although there are also seats provided. The diameter of ferris wheel ride is so wide that it takes around thirty minutes to complete one revolution. The wheel does not normally stop to take in new passengers but sometimes it does to accommodate elderly and disabled persons to safely embark and disembark.
London Eye was designed by architects David Marks and Julia Barfield, Nic Bailey, Malcolm Cook, Steven Chilton, Mark Sparrowhawk, and Frank Anatole. It was officially opened by then British Prime Minister Tony Blair on December 31, 1999 but due to technical problems it was not made public until March of 2000. It was originally owned by the British Airways, the Tussauds Group and the architects Marks and Barnfield family and was bought by Merlin Entertainments in 2007. The London eye changed its name to its current official name The Merlin Entertainments London Eye in 2009.
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