When was the London Eye formally opened?

The London Eye, or the Millennium Wheel, is a cantilevered observation wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames in London. It is Europe's tallest cantilevered observation wheel, and the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom with over three million visitors annually. The structure is 135 metres (443 ft) tall and the wheel has a diameter of 120 metres (394 ft).

Construction started in 1998 and the main components of the attraction were built off site and shipped to the construction side where the wheel was assembled. The London Eye was formally opened on December 31, 1999. Due to some technical problems, the public had to wait until March 2000 to go for the first ride.

The London Eye was designed by the husband-and-wife team of Julia Barfield and David Marks of Marks Barfield Architects.

The London Eye was formally opened by the Prime Minister Tony Blair on 31 December 1999, but did not open to the paying public until 9 March 2000 because of a capsule clutch problem.