The London Eye is the observation wheel used to launch New Year's Eve pyrotechnics in London. Fireworks are also fired from barges on the River Thames, creating a display spread across the waterfront.
The London Eye stands on the South Bank opposite Westminster and became a central symbol of London's millennium celebrations. It opened to the public in 2000 and was originally intended to be a temporary attraction, but its popularity led to its continued operation.
The wheel's capsules and structure provide a dramatic setting for fireworks, although the display is not launched from every part of the wheel at once. Pyrotechnics have also been fired from the surrounding river and nearby locations, so descriptions that mention only the wheel simplify a larger production.
The London Eye is sometimes confused with other major observation wheels, such as the Singapore Flyer, High Roller in Las Vegas, or Vienna's Wiener Riesenrad. Those landmarks have their own events, but they are not the London launch site.