Five things you didn't know about the London Eye

The London Eye has played host to an array of brilliantly bizarre goings-on, serving as the platform for big brand collabs and events that showcase the city’s sense of limitless possibilities. The unusual activity goes back as far as 2008, when Fiat parked up its new Fiat 500 right inside one of the capsules for two whole weeks. Another highlight has to be Red Bull turning the wheel into a rotating nightclub in 2013, with acts from Lily Allen to Mark Ronson performing inside the pods. It’s also seen celeb chef Gordon Ramsey serving dinner to patrons in honour of 2012’s London Restaurant Festival, and wholesome dog yoga sessions for adventurous pups.

The London Eye is no stranger to a special occasion, having provided the setting for countless engagements, anniversary celebrations and no doubt some epic birthdays. And if you are heading there to live out a fairy tale moment, there are ways to make sure you remember it forever. Introducing the Eye’s VIP packages, ranging from a champagne experience to a proposal bundle that includes a bespoke sign, dedicated host and the option to add in a musician or videographer. Need more info? You’ll find it here.

Avid pub quizzers might want to listen up – some fun facts about the London Eye comin’ atcha: Did you know that the 32 capsules represent the London boroughs? And if you’ve ever wondered why they’re numbered up to 33, that’s because there’s no 13th capsule – just in case any tourists happen to be particularly superstitious. And if you have any respect for our great wheel, you’ll know better than to call it a ‘Ferris wheel’; it is in fact the world’s tallest ‘cantilevered observation wheel’, indicating how it’s only fixed to the ground from one side. It stands proud at 135 metres high and weighs over 2000 tonnes – that’s over 150 double-decker buses. 

Whether you’re a big believer in ‘slow and steady wins the race’ or not, you can’t deny that the London Eye’s glacial pace hasn’t stopped it from racking up some serious mileage. Moving at just 0.6 miles per hour (which, by the way, is the speed of the world’s fastest tortoise), it’s managed to travel 57,500 miles in its 25 years, going by the average number of yearly rotations as 7668. That’s over double the earth’s circumference – not bad, eh? Each ride takes 30 minutes, with 85 million people having taken on the journey (and probably a billion photos) so far.

One thing that can bring people from all walks of life together? A great view. Folks travel from far and wide to reach the London Eye’s highest point and snap that perfect picture, and, depending on the weather, that picture could even feature Windsor Castle set 40km in the distance. Other sites to pick out from the cityscape include Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, The Shard, Tower Bridge and the Houses of Parliament.