The London Eye is a 135 metres (442.9 ft) tall giant Ferris wheel

Ferris wheel

A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...

 situated on the banks of the River Thames

River Thames

The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...

, in London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

.

It is the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe, and the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom

Tourist attractions in the United Kingdom

For detailed lists of tourist attractions in the countries of the United Kingdom see:* List of tourist attractions in England* List of tourist attractions in Northern Ireland* List of tourist attractions in Scotland* List of tourist attractions in Wales...

, visited by over 3.5 million people annually. When erected in 1999, it was the tallest Ferris wheel in the world, until surpassed first by the 160 m (524.9 ft) Star of Nanchang

Star of Nanchang

The Star of Nanchang is a tall giant Ferris wheel located in the eastern Chinese city of Nanchang, the capital of Jiangxi Province.The Star of Nanchang opened for business in May 2006, having cost 57 million Yuan to build...

 in 2006, and then the 165 m (541.3 ft) Singapore Flyer

Singapore Flyer

The Singapore Flyer is a giant Ferris wheel located in Singapore, constructed in 2005–2008. Described by its operators as an observation wheel, it reaches 42 stories high, with a total height of , making it the tallest Ferris wheel in the world, taller than the Star of Nanchang and taller than...

 in 2008.