Amid the millions of people who have gazed up at the London Eye over the past 25 years, there are those of us for whom she is more than just a tourist attraction—she is a silent companion, a witness to life’s ever-turning moments. I am one of those people.

For me—someone who is deeply in love with London—the London Eye is not just a landmark; she is a piece of my heart. The “Big Ben’s girlfriend,” as I affectionately call her, standing gracefully across the Thames, is more than steel and glass. She is a symbol of wonder, of dreams circling high above the city’s pulse. She is an unspoken part of my history.

Since I set foot in London more than two decades ago, the Eye has been there—spinning slowly, steadily, like a heartbeat, as if silently keeping pace with my own journey. She has become a kind of sanctuary for me—a place where I stand by the river and let my thoughts drift with the clouds reflected in her capsules.

I’ve watched her during golden sunsets that drench the Thames in light, beneath the city’s famous fog that blurs the line between past and present, and during the crisp clarity of a blue sky in the morning. She has witnessed my moments of celebration, of reflection, and of sorrow.

I remember how her quiet presence seemed almost solemn on the day of the Westminster Bridge attack in 2017, a silent guardian as London grieved but stood strong. And again in 2022, when the city lined the banks of the Thames to bid farewell to Queen Elizabeth II, the wheel continued its slow, steady rotation—a symbol of continuity as history unfolded before our eyes.

Every time I look at her, I’m reminded of what London truly is—a city that never stops moving, never stops transforming. With every turn of the London Eye, I feel a quiet promise: there is always something new waiting to be discovered—in the city, in the world, and within myself.

This March, the London Eye celebrates a milestone—25 years of spinning stories and sparking dreams.

Designed by visionary architects David Marks and Julia Barfield, the wheel was created to mark the turn of the millennium. Supported by British Airways, it was a bold idea—a modern monument for a city rooted in history. The Millennium Wheel, as it was first called, began construction in 1998 and was officially opened in 2000 by Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Ironically, the London Eye wasn’t meant to last. It was designed as a temporary installation, planned to stand for just five years. But London had other ideas. The wheel became an instant icon—a symbol of progress, innovation, and possibility—and by popular demand, it stayed.

Today, she stands 135 meters tall—a masterpiece of modern engineering, once the tallest Ferris wheel in the world, and still the largest in Europe.

A marvel of design and ambition

The London Eye isn’t just a beautiful landmark; it’s a feat of human ingenuity:

  • Revolutionary construction: unlike traditional Ferris wheels, the London Eye has no fixed central axle. Instead, it’s held by an elegant A-frame structure, tilting over the Thames like an outstretched arm.

  • A daring build: the wheel was assembled in pieces on floating platforms on the river before being hoisted into place—a slow, deliberate process that took over a week.

  • A giant in every way: weighing over 1,700 tonnes of steel and anchored by 3,000 tonnes of concrete, it’s as much a monument to ambition as it is to design.

The wheel has 32 glass capsules—one for each of London’s boroughs—though they are numbered from 1 to 33, skipping the superstitious number 13. Each capsule holds 25 people, meaning 800 visitors can ride the wheel at once—the same as 11 iconic London double-decker buses!

A full rotation takes about 30 minutes, and on a clear day, you can see up to 40 kilometers away—from the Houses of Parliament to Windsor Castle. It’s not just a view of London—it’s a view of history, of time, of possibility.

But the London Eye is more than just an engineering marvel—she is a stage for stories.

Over the years, she has witnessed more than 5,000 marriage proposals—becoming a beacon of romance, where love takes flight 135 meters above the city. She has been the setting for countless declarations, quiet moments, and joyful celebrations.

Her silhouette has graced the silver screen, appearing in films like Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007), and TV hits like Doctor Who and Sherlock. She even made a star turn in Oasis’ Wonderwall music video—a quiet reminder that like music, some symbols are timeless.

And it’s not just movie stars who have stepped into her glass capsules—Nelson Mandela, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Kate Moss are just a few of the famous faces who have experienced London from her heights.

During the 2012 London Olympics, the Eye lit up in the colors of the Olympic rings, a glowing centerpiece as the world turned its gaze to the city I call home.

As she marks her 25th anniversary, the London Eye isn’t just celebrating the past—she’s spinning toward the future.

Merlin Entertainments, the company behind her day-to-day operations, has embraced sustainability. The Eye now uses renewable energy and energy-efficient LED lighting, and this year, a new “green capsule” will showcase London’s bold environmental initiatives.

The anniversary celebrations will include exclusive VIP experiences, interactive exhibitions about the wheel’s history, and a dazzling light show—a bright, brilliant tribute to 25 years of wonder.

More than a landmark: a living, breathing symbol of London

The London Eye has welcomed over 85 million visitors since its opening and attracts 3.5 million people every year. She has poured over £2 billion into London’s economy, supporting jobs, boosting tourism, and cementing her status as a pillar of the city’s identity.

But beyond the numbers, beyond the fame—for me, she is something more.

She is a quiet constant in a city that never sleeps. She is a wheel that keeps turning, no matter the storms, no matter the celebrations—a silent reminder that life, like her, moves in circles.

Every time I stand by the Thames and look up at her, I feel it again—the pull of her steady rhythm, the whisper that no matter how far we travel, we are always part of something bigger than ourselves.

And so, as the London Eye marks 25 years, I celebrate not just the icon she has become, but the way she continues to inspire—reminding me that there’s always more to see, more to learn, and more to dream.

The wheel will keep turning—and so will I.