The world's largest high-mountain sports complex "Medeo" is located at an altitude of 1691 meters in the tract of the same name on the northern slope of the Zaili Alatau ridge, 14 km from Almaty.
The complex is famous for its huge ice rink with the largest area of artificial ice cover - 10.5 thousand square meters, which operates from October to May. The purest mountain water is used to fill the ice, which allows athletes to achieve high results here. The thickness of the ice on the Medeo rink is 2.3 m. The ice is maintained in perfect condition thanks to a special freezing system that has no analogues in the world.
Ice skating rink "Medeo" was opened in 1972. Due to its unique location in a mountainous tract, where mild winters reign, an optimal level of solar radiation is observed, low atmospheric pressure prevails and there are no strong winds, the skating rink has gained wide popularity among athletes. It hosts training and competitions in figure skating, speed skating, bandy and other winter sports - more than 200 world records in various disciplines among men and women have been set at Medeo.
The Medeo Ice Arena is one of the most popular attractions in Almaty not only among athletes but also among ordinary residents and guests of the “southern capital” of Kazakhstan who come here to skate on weekends. On the ice of the rink at the same time can be 2-3 thousand people.
The sports complex is reliably protected from mudflows thanks to the Medeu mudflow protection dam specially built-in 1966. The dam is located south of the ice rink at an altitude of 1733 m, a huge staircase consisting of 842 steps leads to it - speed climbing competitions are regularly held here.