The London Eye

Travel | October 9, 2010 | Share

There is no better place than to ogle at London‘s most spectacular attractions that from high up in the sky. The London eye, the world’s largest observation wheel is one of the best way to soak in the grandeur of London. And if you are in London for business or pleasure you have to take a ride in the London eye. Its tall, its grand and it will offer you an experience of a lifetime. Admission is not very cheap and you may have to wait in line for hours, but monetarily and time wise it is absolutely worth it.

The London Eye is situated in the Jubilee Gardens along the South bank of the River Thames. It is a giant observation wheel rising to a height of about 135 mts. The London eye was built at the turn of the century as a part of Londonâ€™s celebrations of the Millennium.

A team of husband and wife designed this landmark that has come to mark a new millennium. David Marks and Julia Barfield were the architects that were behind the designing of this magnificent structure. The wheel has an interesting story actually, it may not have come to life at all if it wasnt for the conviction these guys had. The British Government had invited entries from people tod design a landmark for the new millennium. The Observation wheel was a suggested design from this brilliant team, however it did not win.

However, the government thought that none of the entries were good enough. The couple was insistent; they pushed and pushed until they finally got some support in the form of sponsorship for the project from the British Airways.

The construction of this wheel was going to be no easy feat. It took more than a year and a half to complete. To construct a piece of work that was truly the landmark of a new millennium more that 1700 tonnes of steel were used just for the structure. Another 3000 tonnes of concrete was used to build a foundation that was strong and could make it through many more centuries as a symbol of progress.
The capsules that were designed to look overly futuristic were transported to London from France by train. Each capsule is known to weight more than 500kgs and is about 8mts in length. The capsule can accommodate about 25 people at once. The proportions are large and they required an expert from Czech Republic to build the spindle which was 25 mts long. 80 spokes were fitted in to connect the rim to the spindle.

Unlike other ferrous wheels, this large observation wheel moves slowly allowing people to soak in the sights around the city in leisure. Each rotation takes 30 minutes and provides ample time for an unforgettable experience. The House of Parliament, The Buckingham Palace, St. Paulâs Cathedral are some of the sights that one can look forward to seeing from the London Eye.

A trip to London is incomplete without a ride in this amazing Observation Wheel. It is absolutely spectacular and a must visit for all those who are in love with the city of London.

Nathan Smith