The London Eye is used as a launch point for many fireworks during London's New Year's Eve celebration.
The annual display takes place around the River Thames, with fireworks fired from the London Eye, barges, and nearby locations. The giant observation wheel therefore becomes both a launch platform and a highly recognizable visual centerpiece of the broadcast.
The event is timed around the chimes of Big Ben, although the clock tower itself is not the principal fireworks launch point. Tower Bridge is another famous Thames landmark and often appears in views of the celebration, which explains why it is sometimes mistaken for the answer.
London's modern river fireworks began in their current large-scale form in 2000, when celebrations accompanied the start of the new millennium. The display is organized by the Mayor of London and attracts large crowds along the Thames.