Beginnings at the start of the millennium
For the inauguration of the new millennium, on December 31st, 1999, the London Eye was opened under the name of Millennium Wheel, although it remained closed for improvement works until March 2000. Actually, it was supposed to be closed again after five years, when the lease was supposed to expire. But everything turned out differently - already in 2002 the contract was extended and thus the Ferris wheel became a permanent part of London's skyline.Symbolic wagons
The 32 carriages of the London Eye represent the 32 boroughs of London, but are numbered from 1 to 33. That’s because the number 13 is missing, since it is supposed to bring bad luck. Wagon number 2 has been declared the Coronation Capsule on the occasion of Queen Elizabeth II's 60th coronation anniversary. For her 70th anniversary in 2022, a small pub has also been dedicated to her in one of the gondolas.Almost the biggest attraction in London
Until the opening of the viewing deck of The Shard, the London Eye was the highest vantage point in London with a fantastic view of all of London's iconic buildings. To the east can be seen St. Paul's Cathedral, Tower Bridge, The Shard as well as Nelson's Column, Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament to the west. The view can reach up to 25 miles (40 km) wide on a clear day.No normal Ferris wheel
Technically speaking, the London Eye cannot be called a Ferris Wheel, after George Gale Ferris Jr. who constructed the first such object in 1893. That’s because it is supported laterally, i.e. it rotates on a cantilever. Although it was the tallest Ferris wheel in the world when it opened, there are now taller wheels in Nanchang, Singapore, and Las Vegas, but they are actually Ferris Wheels. Thus, the London Eye can claim to still be the tallest Ferris wheel of its design.