London Eye and the South Bank
The south side of the Thames from Westminster Bridge to Waterloo has for some time been one of London's main
entertainment areas, with concert halls, an art gallery and a film theatre. Now there are several
new attractions - in the old County Hall building, once the headquarters of London's governnment,
are restaurants, hotels and an aquarium. Beyond Waterloo Bridge is the National Theatre, which offers a variety of classical and modern drama on three stages.
London Eye
The London Eye, also known as the Millennium Wheel, is the tallest (135 metres (443 ft)) Ferris wheel in Europe, and has become the most popular paid tourist attraction in the UK, visited by over 3 million people a year.[1]
At the time it was erected it was the tallest Ferris wheel in the world, until it was surpassed by the Star of Nanchang (160m) in May 2006, and then the Singapore Flyer (165m) on February 11, 2008. However, it is still described as "the world's tallest cantilevered observation wheel" (because the entire structure is supported by an A-frame on one side only) by its operators.[2]
The London Eye is located at the western end of Jubilee Gardens, on the South Bank of the River Thames in London, England, between Westminster Bridge and Hungerford Bridge. The site is adjacent to that of the former Dome of Discovery, which was built for the Festival of Britain in 1951.
History of the London Eye
It was formally opened by the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair, at 20:00 GMT on December 31, 1999, although it was
not opened to the public until March 2000 because of technical problems. Since its opening, the Eye, operated by Merlin Entertainments but sponsored by British Airways, has become a major landmark and tourist attraction.
By July 2002, roughly 8.5 million people had ridden the Eye. It had planning permission only for five years, but at that time Lambeth Council agreed to plans to make the attraction permanent.Since 1 January 2005, the Eye has been the focal point of London's New Year celebrations, with 10-minute fireworks displays taking place involving fireworks fired from the wheel itself.
In 2006 the Tussauds Group bought out the other two joint owners, British Airways and the Marks Barfield family (the lead architects). Following Merlin Entertainments purchase of the Tussauds Group in 2007, it now owns 100% of the Eye. British Airways continued its brand association, but from the beginning of 2008 the name 'British Airways' was dropped from the logo.During the bidding process of the 2012 Olympic Games, the London bid organisers announced the Olympic emblem would be attached to the Eye for the duration of the 2012 Summer Olympics.
In August of 2007, it was announced that London Eye could be temporarily renamed "The McCartney Eye" after Sir Paul McCartney of the Beatles. The renaming would coincide with the release of a McCartney related DVD set titled "The McCartney Years".
THE RIVER THAMES
The Thames was once London's busy high street, when people travelled by boat rather than walk the muddy streets.Sometimes it became a playground, for during very severe winters it froze over and Frost Fairs were held on
the ice. It was both a sewer and a source of drinking water until the middle of the 19th century when, after
the Great Stink of 1858, a new sewage system was built, part of which still runs alongside the Thames inside the Victoria, Albert and Chelsea Embankments.
SPECTACULAR CINEMA
In rhe middle of a roundabout by Waterloo Station is the striking London lMAX Cinema, a circular glass
structure which is imaginatively illuminated at night. Inside is a huge screen on which are shown two dimensional
and three-dimensional films with such amazingly realistic detail that you feel you are part of the action.
The cinema is part of the British Film Institute, which also runs the National Film Theatre.
CULTURAL CENTRE
The principal attraction in the South Bank Centre is the Royal Festival Hall, which was built for the Festival
of Britain in 1951. It puts on a varied programme of classical concerts, jazz, dance and poetry, and free events
are often held in the foyer. The Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room are more intimate spaces for chamber music and recitals. The Hayward Gallery has no permanent collection, but shows special art exhibitions which are
changed regularly.
