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The London Eye was formally opened by the Prime Minister Tony Blair on 31 December 1999, but did not open to the paying public until 9 March 2000 because of a capsule clutch problem. The London Eye was originally intended as a temporary attraction, with a five-year lease.
May 25, 2024 · The London Eye, as it was called by this time, was ceremonially “opened” by Prime Minister Tony Blair on December 31, 1999, but did not admit its first paying passenger until March 9, 2000. Originally scheduled to be dismantled after five years, it was kept in place because of continued popularity.
- It wasn't London's first big wheel. The London Eye was preceded by The Great Wheel, a 40-car ferris wheel built for the Empire of India Exhibition at Earls Court.
- It's Europe's tallest 'ferris' wheel. When it was built in 1999, the 443ft (135m) tall wheel was the world's tallest. But it's been pushed into fourth place, surpassed by the 520ft (158m) Star of Nanchang in 2006, the 541ft (165m) tall Singapore Flyer in 2008, and Las Vegas's 550ft (168m) High Roller, built in 2014.
- It's very popular. With more than 3.75m visitors annually, The London Eye is the most popular paid tourist attraction in the UK. (The British Museum holds the record for the most popular free attraction, welcoming more than 6m visitors each year.)
- It was supposed to be temporary. Just like the Eiffel Tower, the London Eye was originally planned as a temporary structure; built to stand on Lambeth Council's ground on the banks of the Thames for around five years.
May 10, 2024 · Friday 10 May 2024. You’d have been forgiven for assuming the London Eye was always supposed to be a permanent fixture of the capital’s skyline. The observation wheel has dominated the...
- Sabah Osman
- Contributing Writer
General Information. When did the London Eye open? The London Eye launched in 2000.
May 8, 2024 · Construction of the attraction began in 1998. The London Eye has been confirmed as a permanent fixture on the capital's South Bank more than 24 years after the first ride took place.
1999 - Then-British Prime Minister Tony Blair ceremonially opened the London Eye on 31 December 1999, ushering the city and the world into a new millennium. 2000 - The London Eye welcomed the first paying passenger on 9 March 2000, more than two months after its opening.
