London Eye Facts: Height, History, Capsules & Everything You Didn't Know
From its dramatic construction over the Thames to the missing capsule 13, here is everything you ever wanted to know about one of the world's most famous landmarks.
London Eye at a Glance
Height
135m (443ft)
Capsules
32
1-12 and 14-33 (no 13)
Capacity per Capsule
25 passengers
Throughput
800/hour
Rotation Time
30 minutes
Speed
0.6 mph (26 cm/s)
Weight
2,100 tonnes
Opened
9 March 2000
Annual Visitors
3.5 million
Total Passengers
85+ million
Designers
Marks Barfield Architects
Clear-Day Visibility
25 miles (40 km) on a clear day
History of the London Eye: A Timeline
1993
David Marks and Julia Barfield enter their observation wheel design into a Sunday Times competition for a London millennium landmark. Though no winner is announced, they pursue the project privately.
1996
After three years of lobbying and fundraising, British Airways agrees to sponsor the project. Planning permission is granted by Lambeth Council.
1998
Construction begins. The wheel's components are manufactured in several countries: the hub and spindle in the Czech Republic, the capsules in France, the cables in Italy, and the rim sections in the Netherlands.
1999
The wheel is assembled horizontally on pontoons over the River Thames. In a dramatic engineering feat, it is lifted to vertical position on 10 October after two failed attempts due to adverse weather conditions.
31 Dec 1999
The London Eye is ceremonially opened by Prime Minister Tony Blair as part of London's millennium celebrations. Due to a technical issue with the capsule doors, the first public rides are delayed.
9 Mar 2000
The first paying passengers ride the London Eye. It immediately becomes London's most popular paid tourist attraction.
2002
The London Eye records its 10 millionth visitor, far exceeding initial projections. What was originally planned as a temporary 5-year installation becomes a permanent London landmark.
2006
The Star of Nanchang (160m) opens in China, ending the London Eye's reign as the world's tallest observation wheel. The Singapore Flyer (165m) follows in 2008.
2015
Coca-Cola sponsorship ends and lastminute.com becomes the new naming partner. The London Eye is officially branded as the 'lastminute.com London Eye'.
2020
The London Eye celebrates its 20th anniversary, having carried over 80 million passengers. Temporary closure during COVID-19 pandemic.
2024
Total passenger count exceeds 85 million. The London Eye remains the UK's most popular paid tourist attraction and one of the most recognised structures in the world.
Engineering Marvels
The London Eye is not technically a Ferris wheel. It is a cantilevered observation wheel, meaning the entire structure is supported from one side only, with the A-frame legs on the south bank of the Thames bearing the full weight. Traditional Ferris wheels have supports on both sides of the hub. This single-sided support was an engineering breakthrough that allows unobstructed views in all directions from every capsule.
The Capsules
Each of the 32 capsules is an ovoidal (egg-shaped) pod weighing approximately 10 tonnes when fully loaded. They are mounted on the outside of the wheel rim rather than hanging from it, which is why they provide 360-degree views without structural obstructions. Each capsule has its own motorised rotation system that keeps the floor level as the wheel turns, so passengers always stand on a flat surface. The capsules are sealed and air-conditioned, with tempered glass walls designed to withstand significant wind loads. They were manufactured by Poma in France, a company more commonly known for building ski lifts and cable car systems.
Continuous Rotation
Unlike traditional Ferris wheels that stop to load passengers, the London Eye rotates continuously at 0.6 mph (26 centimetres per second). This is slow enough for passengers to step on and off at ground level without the wheel stopping, yet fast enough to complete a full rotation in exactly 30 minutes. The wheel only stops in exceptional circumstances, such as for wheelchair access if needed or during high winds. The continuous motion is driven by electric motors and is so smooth that many passengers do not notice the movement at all until they look down and realise they are ascending.
Construction Over the Thames
The London Eye was assembled horizontally on pontoons over the River Thames, a solution born from the simple fact that there was no space on the riverbank to assemble a 135-metre structure and then lift it upright. The wheel was built lying flat on the water, with its sections bolted together piece by piece over several months. On 10 October 1999, engineers attempted to lift the completed wheel from horizontal to vertical using a system of hydraulic jacks and strand jacks. The first two attempts failed due to adverse weather conditions and cable alignment issues. The third attempt succeeded, and the wheel was raised to its final vertical position over the course of several hours. The lift was watched by crowds of onlookers and broadcast on television, making it one of the most dramatic engineering events in London's history.
The Mystery of the Missing Capsule 13
If you count the London Eye's capsules, you will find 32. But if you look at their numbers, they run from 1 to 33. The missing number? Thirteen. In a nod to the widespread superstition of triskaidekaphobia (fear of the number 13), the designers deliberately skipped capsule 13 during numbering.
This tradition mirrors the practice of many hotels that skip the 13th floor, airlines that omit row 13 from their seating plans, and buildings that go from floor 12 directly to floor 14. The decision was made during the London Eye's design phase in the 1990s, recognising that some international visitors might feel uncomfortable boarding a capsule numbered 13 for a ride 135 metres above London.
The quirk has become one of the most popular fun facts about the London Eye and is a common trivia question. Some visitors specifically try to identify the gap in the numbering sequence during their ride, adding a mini treasure-hunt element to the experience.
Views from the Top
On a clear day, visibility from the top of the London Eye extends to approximately 25 miles (40 kilometres) in every direction. The landmarks visible include Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament (directly below to the east), Buckingham Palace (to the south-west), St Paul's Cathedral (to the east), The Shard (to the south-east), Tower Bridge (further east), Wembley Stadium (to the north-west), and on exceptionally clear days, Windsor Castle approximately 25 miles to the west.
The views change dramatically depending on the time of day, weather, and season. Winter mornings with clear skies and low sun offer the sharpest visibility. Summer evenings around sunset create a golden glow across the city. Night rides after dark reveal London lit up in a spectacular display. Foggy days drastically reduce visibility but create an atmospheric, moody experience that some visitors actually prefer.
Records and Achievements
World's Tallest (1999-2006)
The London Eye held the record as the world's tallest Ferris wheel for nearly 7 years, from its opening until the Star of Nanchang surpassed it in 2006. It was later overtaken by the Singapore Flyer (2008) and the High Roller in Las Vegas (2014).
UK's Most Popular Paid Attraction
With over 3.5 million visitors per year, the London Eye has been the UK's most visited paid tourist attraction for most of its existence, regularly outperforming the Tower of London, Stonehenge, and Kew Gardens.
Over 85 Million Passengers
Since opening in March 2000, the London Eye has carried more than 85 million passengers from virtually every country in the world. At capacity, the wheel can accommodate 800 passengers per hour.
Over 5,000 Proposals
The London Eye has been the setting for over 5,000 marriage proposals, making it one of the most popular proposal locations in the world. The events team averages 2-3 proposals per week.
Sustainability
The London Eye is powered by renewable energy, with its electricity sourced from certified green energy suppliers. The wheel's electric motors are remarkably efficient, consuming less energy per passenger than many escalators in London's underground stations. The capsules are naturally ventilated in mild weather and use energy-efficient air conditioning in extreme temperatures.
Merlin Entertainments, the London Eye's operator, participates in carbon offset programmes for the attraction's operations. The South Bank location encourages sustainable transport, with the majority of visitors arriving by public transport, bicycle, or on foot. The Santander Cycles docking station adjacent to the London Eye further supports low-carbon travel to the attraction.
How the London Eye Compares in Height
135m
London Eye
310m
The Shard
96m
Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower)
93m
Statue of Liberty
330m
Eiffel Tower
Related Guides
London Eye Facts FAQs
How tall is the London Eye?
The London Eye stands 135 metres (443 feet) tall, making it the tallest cantilevered observation wheel in Europe. When it opened in March 2000, it was the tallest Ferris wheel in the world, a record it held until 2006 when the Star of Nanchang in China surpassed it at 160 metres. Despite no longer being the tallest, the London Eye remains one of the most visited observation wheels globally, with over 3.5 million visitors per year. On a clear day, visibility from the top extends to approximately 25 miles (40 kilometres) in every direction.
How many capsules does the London Eye have?
The London Eye has 32 sealed and air-conditioned passenger capsules, but they are numbered 1 to 33, skipping number 13 due to superstition. Each capsule can hold up to 25 standing passengers and weighs approximately 10 tonnes when fully loaded. The capsules are designed as ovoidal (egg-shaped) pods with motorised systems that keep them level as the wheel rotates, so you are always standing on a flat floor. Unlike traditional Ferris wheels where gondolas swing from the rim, the London Eye capsules are mounted on the outside of the wheel structure, giving unobstructed 360-degree views.
When was the London Eye built?
The London Eye was designed in 1993 by husband-and-wife architect team David Marks and Julia Barfield, who entered the design into a Sunday Times competition for a London millennium landmark. Construction began in 1998, with the wheel assembled horizontally on pontoons over the River Thames. On 10 October 1999, the completed wheel was lifted from horizontal to vertical position in a dramatic engineering operation that took several attempts. It was ceremonially opened by Prime Minister Tony Blair on 31 December 1999 as part of London's millennium celebrations, and the first paying passengers rode on 9 March 2000.
Why is there no capsule 13 on the London Eye?
The London Eye has no capsule numbered 13 due to superstition. The 32 capsules are numbered 1 through 33, with number 13 deliberately omitted. This is a nod to triskaidekaphobia, the fear of the number 13, which is common in many Western cultures. Hotels often skip the 13th floor, airlines skip row 13, and the London Eye follows this tradition. The decision was made during the design phase to avoid any passenger discomfort about boarding capsule 13. This quirky detail has become one of the most popular fun facts about the London Eye and is a favourite question among visitors.