The London Eye is the 135-metre observation wheel that forms the landmark backdrop for London's famous New Year's Eve fireworks.
The wheel stands on the South Bank of the River Thames, near the Palace of Westminster. It opened to the public in March 2000 and quickly became one of London's most recognizable modern landmarks.
London's annual fireworks display is staged around the Thames and viewed from central London, with the London Eye serving as a visual centerpiece. The fireworks are a city event rather than a display belonging only to the wheel itself.
The structure has had several commercial names over the years, but London Eye is the widely used name. It is also called the Millennium Wheel, a name connected with its original opening period, although that is not its principal current identity.