London Eye

The British Airways London Eye is the world's largest observation wheel standing at 135 metres. The London Eye is nearly three times as high as Tower Bridge and four times as wide as St Paul’s Cathedral. One rotation takes 30 minutes, each of its 32 pods can hold up to 25 people and it can carry over 15,000 visitors a day. On a clear day you can see for 25 miles in each direction.

Originally conceived by architects David Marks and Julia Barfield as an entry for a millenium landmark competition, the London Eye took 16 months to build and opened in 2000. The rim of the wheel was constructed horizontally extending out into the Thames and hoisted vertically into its final position.