<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> www.londoneye.com </Td> </Tr> <P> The London Eye is a giant Ferris wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames in London . </P> <P> The structure is 443 feet (135 m) tall and the wheel has a diameter of 394 feet (120 m). When it opened to the public in 2000 it was the world's tallest Ferris wheel . Its height was surpassed by the 525 - foot (160 m) Star of Nanchang in 2006, the 541 - foot (165 m) Singapore Flyer in 2008, and the 550 - foot (167.6 m) High Roller (Las Vegas) in 2014 . Supported by an A-frame on one side only, unlike the taller Nanchang and Singapore wheels, the Eye is described by its operators as "the world's tallest cantilevered observation wheel". </P> <P> It is Europe's tallest Ferris wheel, and offered the highest public viewing point in London until it was superseded by the 804 - foot (245 m) high observation deck on the 72nd floor of The Shard, which opened to the public on 1 February 2013 . It is the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom with over 3.75 million visitors annually, and has made many appearances in popular culture . </P>

When did they start building the london eye