The rink takes its name from Medeu Pusurmanov — the first person to settle this picturesque valley in the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau, where he built winter dwellings for his family. Years later, a special commission arrived from Moscow, spent a long time surveying potential sites, and finally settled on a flat plateau — perfect for a 400-metre ice arena.
The rink opened on 28 December 1972, at an altitude of 1,691 metres above sea level. It quickly earned the nickname "the record factory" — thanks to the clean mountain air and the exceptional quality of the ice, world records in speed skating were set here time and again. The ice was flooded with water drawn straight from mountain springs. On its very first opening day back in 1951, two world records and six all-Union records were set.
Today, Medeu is one of Almaty's biggest draws. In summer it's the starting point for routes into the mountains; in winter it becomes an open-air skating rink with views of snow-capped peaks. Medeu is easy to reach from the city, and right nearby is the cable car up to the Shymbulak ski resort.
