A relatively recent but already very popular tourist attraction is the
London Eye, a giant observation wheel located in the Jubilee Gardens on
the South Bank. The 135 meter (443ft) tall structure was built as part
of London's millennium celebrations.
London Eye
A Landmark for the new Millennium
The structure was designed by the architectural team of David Marks and Julia Barfield, husband and
wife.
They submitted their idea for a large observation wheel as part of a competition to design a landmark for the new millennium.
None of the entrants won the competition, but the couple pressed on and eventually got the backing of British Airways, who sponsored the project.
They submitted their idea for a large observation wheel as part of a competition to design a landmark for the new millennium.
None of the entrants won the competition, but the couple pressed on and eventually got the backing of British Airways, who sponsored the project.
Construction
The London Eye near the Thames
Construction of the observation wheel took more than a year and a half to complete. In the
process over 1700 tonnes of steel were used for the structure and more than
3000 tonnes of concrete were used for the foundations.
The futuristic looking capsules, accommodating up to 25 passengers, were transported all the way from France by train through the chunnel. Each egg-shaped capsule is 8 meters long and weighs 500kg. The 25 meter (82 ft) long spindle was built in the Czech Republic. The rim has a diameter of 122m (400ft), about 200 times the size of a bicycle wheel. 80 Spokes connect the rim with the spindle.
The futuristic looking capsules, accommodating up to 25 passengers, were transported all the way from France by train through the chunnel. Each egg-shaped capsule is 8 meters long and weighs 500kg. The 25 meter (82 ft) long spindle was built in the Czech Republic. The rim has a diameter of 122m (400ft), about 200 times the size of a bicycle wheel. 80 Spokes connect the rim with the spindle.
London seen from the London Eye
The Observation Wheel
The observation wheel turns slow enough for people to
embark while it is moving. A complete turn takes about
30 minutes. Thanks to the construction of the glass
capsules on the outer side of the rim,
Capsule
Make sure you get your tickets in advance,
lines can be very long, both the lines for embarking
and for ticket purchases. It's less crowded at night
when the views are even more spectacular.
1 comment:
Hello all I'm from Guyana South America, was having a tour of London. This is one of the most spectacular view of London. It's worth every penny��
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