The London Eye has hosted London’s main New Year’s Eve fireworks display since 2004. The Ferris wheel stands beside the River Thames and provides a distinctive focal point for the fireworks and countdown.
The London Eye, also called the Millennium Wheel, opened to the public in 2000. Its position on the South Bank places it opposite central London landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster and the clock tower commonly associated with Big Ben.
London’s fireworks are launched from locations along the Thames, including barges and the area around the London Eye. The display is closely coordinated with midnight and is broadcast widely in the United Kingdom and internationally.
Big Ben is often connected with the event because its clock helps signal midnight, but it is not the main landmark hosting the fireworks display. The London Eye is the key visual centre of the modern celebration.