500 Tenge Medeu

Medeu is the high-altitude speed skating rink built in a gorge above Almaty in 1972, long promoted as the world's highest outdoor skating venue at roughly 1,700 meters. Dozens of world speed skating records were set there during the Soviet period, a fact the Kazakhstani authorities have leaned on heavily in commemorative programs since independence. This 2020 issue is part of a recurring series the National Bank has used to document domestic landmarks and sporting heritage.