The London Eye

[Robie]

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London Eye voted world's best attraction

The London Eye has been named the world's best tourist attraction.

The 135m Ferris Wheel on the capital's South Bank is the sight that most tourists in the world would like to see, according to a poll of 2,000 holidaymakers.

Voters in the Ultimate Destinations poll, which was commissioned by snack manufacturer Pringles, also named the Palace of Westminster as the most recognised government building on the planet.

The Eye was erected as part of London's Millennium celebrations and was originally only granted planning permission for five years.

But the iconic structure has quickly become an established feature of the London skyline and has secured a 24-year planning extension guaranteeing its future until 2027.

More than 18m visitors have enjoyed the spectacular panoramic views from the Eye since the official opening in 2000, and the wheel has won more than 40 awards for tourism, engineering and architecture.

The London Eye is Britain's most popular paid-for attraction, drawing 3.7m visitors in 2003.

The accolade was welcomed by Emma Coulthurst, a spokeswoman for the capital's tourism body Visit London.

"The fact that the London Eye has been voted the world's top attraction is fantastic news for London," she said.

"We sometimes forget what a great city we live in. London has the greatest concentration of major attractions in Britain."

The Eye has a starring role in London 2012's distinctive 'Back the Bid' advertising campaign.

Other iconic London landmarks in the campaign include Tower Bridge, Nelson's Column, Buckingham Palace, the Swiss Re 'Gherkin' and the Thames Barrier.

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So, should we keep it for ever like the Eiffel Tower was only meant to be a temporary structure. I think it is a great landmark and functional too and we should keep it.

[earpl]

thats a better joke than mofmo's cancer one :P

[Robie]

Thanks for the well put contribution to the discussion earpl :)

[Rookey]

I think we should keep it as its obviously drawing lots of people to it ..

The Eiffel Tower probably wasn't really looked upon as a great thing by the French, but it is something we ALL recognise and will most like see at some point in our lives ..

BUT .. I still can't understand why foreigners will travel thousands of miles, just to travel on a slow moving fair ground ride!lol

[Moffmo]

Iv never really felt the need to go

"what a great city we live in"

London?? Are they having a laugh? wouldnt live there in a million years

[Fmrl]

Hmmm, let me see...

Taj Mahal

Great Wall of China

Pyramids of Egypt

Niagra Falls

The Grand Canyon

Empire State Building

Sears Tower in Chicago

etc. etc. etc.

and the London Eye is better than all them? I must be missing something.

[Blue84]

I would like it to stay

[Moffmo]

Hmmm, let me see...

Taj Mahal

Great Wall of China

Pyramids of Egypt

Niagra Falls

The Grand Canyon

Empire State Building

Sears Tower in Chicago

etc. etc. etc.

and the London Eye is better than all them? I must be missing something. 

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No...Everyone else is!

Where in west yorkshire are you mate?

[Matthew_McNally]

sorry - the London Eye is brilliant - been on it twice.

just stand next to it, and consider the effort it took to actually build it.

the views over big ben and parliament at sunset are just superb.

fmrl, earpl - have you ever been on the eye, or seen it in real life?

[Desmond22]

the views over big ben and parliament at sunset are just superb

They are truly brilliant, mainly because Big Ben and the H of P are so good!

The Eye is OK and good for sightseeing other buildings but it's just not in the same class as those other wonders.

:)

[Chappers]

The Eye is OK and good for sightseeing other buildings but it's just not in the same class as those other wonders.

:)

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The London Eye is an 'attraction' and man made recently.. You can't compare a man made object to the likes of Niagra Falls, The Grand Canyon etc And as for the Great Wall of China and the Pyramids of Egypt well try and recreate them..

[Desmond22]

The London Eye is an 'attraction' and man made recently

That's true, but so is the Corkscrew at Alton Towers!

I just can't see the London Eye being the enduring attraction that the others are.

:)

[mad welshman]

The London Eye is an 'attraction' and man made recently

That's true, but so is the Corkscrew at Alton Towers!

I just can't see the London Eye being the enduring attraction that the others are.

:)

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id rather go on the corkscrew, hee hee

what about the millenium stadium in cardiff? if u are taking about man made structures, truely brill. 250,000 are going to see it this weekend!!! come on wales.!!!!!!

[Calisto]

I think it should stay... well at least untill I have had a chance to have a ride in it.

I love London, I was born there, but I wouldnt want to live there.

[gordypix]

The London Eye is a great piece of engineering and a great place to visit. I have been on it twice

Polls are seriously flawed in that they are not 100% accurate - they only take into account the people that are questioned - in this case 2000 people. I believe that doesn't quite make up even a small proportion of the worlds population.....

But it is a great tourist attraction just as are many, many other places spanning the world.

London is a great city if you open your eyes and take it in properly. I would live there but would prefer to live elsewhere ideally but would always visit because of what I know is there.

Keep the Eye as it is now a LANDMARK and one to see if only once..........

[Demonic Angel]

I went on the Eye last August for my birthday - I was petrified and stayed on the bench in the middle of the capsule and couldn't look!

There were all these 4 year old kiddies standing at the egde while we were really high and theres me - 23 and scared stiff!

The London Eyes a great piece of modern engineering and design - the views (from the photos!) were spectacular - I'm not sure if its the worlds greatest structure though..... although it is amazing for what it is.

Would never go on it again though!

[Matthew_McNally]

I went on the Eye last August for my birthday - I was petrified and stayed on the bench in the middle of the capsule and couldn't look!

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all the way?

big baby :P

my missus really doesn't like heights, but even she ended up getting up and standing around the edges looking at the view

[Demonic Angel]

Honestly Matthew - I tried, but whenever I even tried to stand up and look my legs turned to jelly - I couldnt look down at all - I could look out the windows straight ahead at the sky, but thats about it.

Rich never knew about my vertigo until that day - he'd booked the tickets as a birthday treat and theres me, absolutely petrified of heights sitting above London!

Thank god the floors in the capsule werent see through aswell!

[Matthew_McNally]

Thank god the floors in the capsule werent see through aswell! 

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they are.

the whole capsule is see through

[Demonic Angel]

No they're not - the floor is definately not see through!

I should know - thats what I looked at the most! :D

[Matthew_McNally]

No they're not - the floor is definately not see through!

I should know - thats what I looked at the most!  :D

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you're right! just checked.

but then - I not a big scaredy cat, and I spent all my time looking over the thames :D

[Demonic Angel]

Ok ok - I admit

I AM A BIG HUGE MASSIVE SCAREDY CAT!

I could never live in high rise flats or anything - I wouldnt be able to look out the window - let alone one of those trendy Docklands apartments with all glass walls - I'd cack myself!

[jaxx]

i dont think it should go that would be pointless

but to me its just a glorified Ferris Wheel and not the best engineering structure ever! (ive seen better!)

[earpl]

sorry - the London Eye is brilliant - been on it twice.

just stand next to it, and consider the effort it took to actually build it.

the views over big ben and parliament at sunset are just superb.

fmrl, earpl - have you ever been on the eye, or seen it in real life?

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yeah and it was a bag of crap. all that money to go up was a joke. ive seen a lot more impressive things. e.g grand canyon.

[Bibbs]

Should be scrapped as it makes too much damn noise

*blatent theft of B3ta