London Eye facts are easier to trust when each one comes with a date and a source, so this page gives you a timeline, the story by period and a numbered list of 14 facts. I wrote it from Wikipedia and Wikidata and give numbers exactly as they give them. The wheel started as an entry in a competition that had no winner, and the London Eye history that followed is stranger than the 30 minute ride suggests. When you want to ride it rather than read, my page on tickets for the London Eye compares all 10 options.
London Eye History Timeline
Year
What happened
1993
David Marks and Julia Barfield enter a millennium landmark competition
1994
In December, British Airways agrees to invest 600,000 pounds in seed funding
1996
Planning permission is granted
1999
Ceremonial opening on 31 December without passengers
2000
First passengers on 1 February; public opening on 9 March
2002
Permanent status granted in July
2006
The 160 metre Star of Nanchang becomes the tallest Ferris wheel
2009
Renamed Merlin Entertainments London Eye in August
2013
The 245 metre View from The Shard overtakes it as London’s highest public viewpoint
2020
20th birthday in March, with themed capsules
London Eye Facts: From Competition to Planning Permission
The London Eye began in 1993, when David Marks and Julia Barfield of the practice Marks Barfield entered a Sunday Times and Architecture Foundation competition for a millennium landmark. Wikipedia says no winner was named. In December 1994 Bob Ayling of British Airways persuaded the airline to invest 600,000 pounds in seed funding, and planning permission was granted in 1996.
The team behind the build was Arup as structural engineer, Hollandia for the steelwork, Tilbury Douglas as civil contractor and Mace for construction management. Wikipedia says the wheel was raised upright by a strand jack system, at 2 degrees per hour up to 65 degrees, then held for a week.
Opening and a Temporary Licence
The ceremonial opening was on 31 December 1999, performed by Prime Minister Tony Blair, without passengers. The first passengers were carried on 1 February 2000, and the general public could ride from 9 March 2000, which was delayed by a capsule clutch problem, according to Wikipedia. It was first a temporary attraction with a five-year lease. The operators applied for permanent status in December 2001 and it was granted in July 2002.
London Eye Facts About Size and Capacity
The London Eye facts most people ask about are size and speed. The wheel is 135 metres (443 feet) high with a diameter of 120 metres (394 feet), and it cost 70 million pounds to build, per Wikipedia. It carries 32 ovoidal capsules, each weighing 10 tonnes and carrying up to 25 people. The wheel turns at 26 centimetres per second, about 0.9 kilometres per hour, so one revolution takes around 30 minutes. Wikipedia gives a theoretical capacity of 1,600 passengers per hour.
Visitor numbers are large: more than 3 million a year, and over 85 million passengers as of 2025, according to the same article. The London Eye was the tallest Ferris wheel when it opened in 2000, until the 160 metre Star of Nanchang passed it in 2006, and it was London’s highest public viewing point until 2013, when the 245 metre View from The Shard took over.
Sponsors, Names and Owners
The wheel has carried a different name for most of its life. Naming rights went to British Airways from 2000 to 2008, then it was renamed Merlin Entertainments London Eye in August 2009. EDF Energy sponsored it from 2011, Coca-Cola from 2015 and lastminute.com from 2020, according to Wikipedia.
Ownership changed too. In 2005 and 2006 Tussauds acquired the shares of British Airways and Marks Barfield, and Tussauds later merged with Merlin. In February 2006 a 25-year lease was agreed with a minimum of 500,000 pounds per year. Wikipedia adds that the 20th birthday in March 2020 was marked with themed capsules.
Money, Upgrades and Other London Eye Facts
Some London Eye facts are about money. Wikipedia reports that British Airways’ construction debt exceeded 175 million pounds at 25 percent interest, which is part of why the shares were sold to Tussauds in 2005 and 2006. In 2009 a 4D cinema was added at County Hall and the first stage of a 12.5 million pound capsule upgrade began. On 2 June 2013 one capsule was named the Coronation Capsule. These are small details, but they show a wheel that has been kept up to date well beyond its original five-year lease.
London Eye Facts in Practice: What They Mean for Your Ride
The London Eye facts translate directly into the visit. A revolution of about 30 minutes at 26 centimetres per second means the ride is slow and steady, and the 135 metre height is what gave it the title of London’s highest public viewing point until 2013. Each capsule carries up to 25 people, so the experience is shared with others. The champagne experience on my tickets page is a different product, and I explain what it adds there. My London Eye map page shows what you can see from the top.
Where London Eye Facts Come From
I take the London Eye facts on this page from two places. Wikipedia supplies the dates, the size, the cost and the sponsors. Wikidata supplies the height, the opening year and the architect. The two agree on the 135 metre height and on the opening year of 1999, though the wheel only carried the public from March 2000. Sponsors and names change often, so the official site, londoneye.com, is the place to check the current name and what is open on your dates.
14 London Eye Facts With Sources
David Marks and Julia Barfield entered the 1993 competition that led to the wheel (Wikipedia).
Planning permission was granted in 1996 (Wikipedia).
Wikidata gives 1999 as the opening year (Wikidata).
It opened to the public on 9 March 2000 (Wikipedia).
One revolution takes about 30 minutes (Wikipedia).
Permanent status was granted in July 2002 (Wikipedia).
It was the tallest Ferris wheel until 2006 (Wikipedia).
It has more than 3 million visitors annually (Wikipedia).
Wikidata lists Julia Barfield as the architect (Wikidata).
See the London Eye Facts for Yourself
Most London Eye guided options are a walking tour that includes a ride, not a tour of the wheel itself. The best-reviewed way to ride is the plain entry ticket at $39, rated 4.6 from 41,035 reviews, which lasts 30 minutes and has free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
The London Eye - MEG
The London Eye Entry Ticket
★4.6 (41,035 reviews)
30 minutes
Free cancellation
My pick: The most-reviewed way to ride: the entry ticket at $39, 4.6 from 41,035 reviews, free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
What you get, where you meet, what reviewers say
Included
✓ Ticket to the London Eye - standard or fast-track admission depending on the option booked
✓ London Eye guide - available for free download on iOS and Android
Meeting point: This activity has 2 meeting points. Your meeting point depends on the option you select. 30 The Queen's Walk, South Bank, London SE1 8XX, UK
Duration: 30 minutes
Cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
“Perfect experience! I recommend that. It is a must when you go in England.” – GetYourGuide review
For a guide, the Westminster walking tour with a London Eye ticket costs $115 for about 5 hours, but it has only 2 reviews, both 5 stars, so I treat it as unproven.
Top Sights Tours LLC.
Westminster Walking Tour & London Eye Ticket
★5.0 (2 reviews)
5 hours
Free cancellation
My pick: A 5 hour Westminster walking tour with a ride at $115, rated 5.0 but from only 2 reviews.
What you get, where you meet
Included
✓ Entrance ticket for London Eye
✓ 3-hour walking tour with a fun local guide
✓ Small tour group size (10 – 15 guests per group)
Not included / not suitable
✕ Food & drinks
✕ Hotel pick up/drop off
Meeting point: We meet outside of the Ritz hotel (150 Piccadilly, W1J 9BR) next to 2 red telephone boxes and 2 souvenir stands, underneath one of the Ritz signs. The nearest tube station is Green Park Underground station. When you get to Green Park Underground station, take the left hand exit. You will see a set of stairs and a ramp leading out of the station. Take the stairs up and walk towards the Ritz Hotel. 150 Piccadilly, St. James's, London W1J 9BR, UK
Languages: English
Duration: 5 hours
Cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Wikidata and Wikipedia both give a height of 135 metres (443 feet), with a wheel diameter of 120 metres (394 feet), according to Wikipedia.
When did the London Eye open?+
Wikipedia says it had a ceremonial opening on 31 December 1999 without passengers, carried its first passengers on 1 February 2000 and opened to the general public on 9 March 2000 after a capsule clutch problem. Wikidata gives 1999 as the opening year.
How many people fit in a London Eye capsule?+
Wikipedia says the wheel has 32 ovoidal capsules, each weighing 10 tonnes and carrying up to 25 people.
How long does one ride in the London Eye take?+
One revolution takes about 30 minutes, according to Wikipedia. The wheel turns at 26 centimetres per second, about 0.9 kilometres per hour, and the listing for the entry ticket on my tickets page gives 30 minutes as its duration.
Is the London Eye bigger than the Eiffel Tower?+
No. The London Eye is 135 metres tall per Wikidata, while Wikidata gives the Eiffel Tower as 330 metres. The Eye was the tallest Ferris wheel in the world from 2000 until 2006, but the tower is much taller.
Who designed the London Eye?+
Wikipedia names David Marks and Julia Barfield of Marks Barfield, who entered a 1993 competition for a millennium landmark. Wikidata lists Julia Barfield as the architect, and Arup was the structural engineer.
