London Eye

Dear Friends, we hope you had wonderful holidays! It is time for us to return to our English lessons. Training Centre Raya London offers courses for beginners and advanced learners, that is why we provide appropriate texts to complement with all language skills. We present you with exciting stories in Bulgarian and English on our blog. You will be able to read the Bulgarian and English versions of the text by simply changing the language option!

Today, we will tell you about the implementation of a bold project. Soon after, its creation, the London Eye gave London a recognisable feature and became its must-see attraction. The vast, panoramic ferris wheel is erected on the south bank of the River Thames between Westminster Bridge and Hungerford Bridge.

The London Eye, formally known as the Millennium Wheel, was a gift to the city during the transition between the 20th and the 21st century, the Millennium commemoration – the year 2000 AD. The opening ceremony was held on 31^st December 1999 by the PM Tony Blair. London Eye opened for the public on 9^th March 2000, as the capsules needed to be secured and tested before they could be enjoyed.

The London Eye was built by husband and wife duo architects- Julia Barfield and David Marks. The wheel was initially designed as an attraction with a lifespan of five years. However, the London authorities gave it a permanent status, so it became a structure, that is widely recognised in London. The international company based in London, Mace Group Ltd., is responsible for the construction. The design, reminding of a giant bicycle wheel, is supported by tensioned steel cables. Later, in 2006 LED lighting was added, and made London Eye even more attractive. Initially, the structure was assembled in a lying position and then slowly it was being raised by 2 degrees per hour until the wheel stood at 65 degrees to the riverbank.

The second stage of the lifting happened a week later. As a complex construction project, the London Eye is an achievement of many companies from different countries cross Europe:  the steel was supplied from the UK and fabricated in The Netherlands, the cables came from Italy, the bearings came from Germany, the spindle and hub were cast in the Czech Republic, the capsules were made in France, and the electrical components from the UK.

Similarly to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, London Eye provides a breath-taking view of the city of London. The attraction has a lot of tourists every day. London Eye became a popular and convenient place for filming London, and it also appears to be a top sightseeing destination. In the first years – until 2008 – the site was visited by 30,000,000 people.

If you haven’t been there yet, the nearest underground station to the famous London landmark is Waterloo Station. Enjoy it!

Dear friends, we would love to read about your experience of the London Eye. You can write your short stories in English and send it to our email: office@ucraya.co.uk

See you soon on our blog!

Author: Iveta Radeva