Editing Almaty (section)

==Cityscape==
{{See also|Architecture of Almaty|List of tallest buildings in Almaty}}
[[File:Almaty, Kok-tobe exposition 2.jpg|centre|thumb|618x618px|Panoramic night view of Almaty from Kok-Tobe, 2012]]
In 1854, the Tsarist government built a military fortification on the left bank of the Almaty River. The construction was supervised by Major Peremyshelsky and engineer-lieutenant Aleksandrovsky. By the autumn of the same year, construction work was completed. With their arrival, the area of Almaty began to develop rapidly, and a few prominent buildings were constructed during this time including the Little Stanitsa and the Tatar Slobodka. A major earthquake in 1887 destroyed 1798 brick houses and killed 322 people. After the earthquake, numerous notable buildings were constructed including the House of the Regiment of Military Assembly (1908), [[Ascension Cathedral, Almaty|Ascension Cathedral]], the House of Public Assembly, and others. Paul Gourdet, who is credited for most of Almaty's urban architecture of the time, used an approach to design [[Russian Revival architecture]], which is evident in some of his designs including the Medical College, the Voznesensky Cathedral, the merchant Shakhvorostov's house, the former Women's College, the former City Orphanage, and numerous other buildings. Andrei Zenkov is another prominent architect and major contributor to some of Almaty's most notable buildings. At the time, Zenkov was in charge of the construction projects of the Semirechye regional government.

From 1966 to 1972, most of the buildings constructed during the era were earthquake-proof multi-story housing blocks. During this period, many schools, hospitals, cultural, and entertainment facilities were constructed in [[Postmodernism|post-modernist]] style, including Lenin's Palace (now [[Palace of the Republic, Almaty|Palace of the Republic]], 1970), [[Hotel Kazakhstan]] (1977) and the [[Medeu]] (1971).

=== Attractions ===
====Churches====
[[File:Ascention Cathedral in Almaty.jpg|thumb|224x224px|Ascension Cathedral in Almaty]]
* [[St. Sophia Cathedral (Almaty)]]
* The [[Ascension Cathedral, Almaty|Ascension Cathedral]] is a 56 m high earthquake-resistant structure, built by the architect K. A. Borisoglebsky and engineer A. P. Zenkov in 1907 from blue Tien Shan [[spruce]]. It withstood an earthquake with a force of 10 points in 1911. The walls of the cathedral were painted by the local artist N. Khludov. During the Soviet period, the building housed a local history museum. In May 1995, the building was transferred to the [[Almaty and Semipalatinsk Diocese]] of the Russian Orthodox Church. After two years of restoration work, services were resumed in the church in 1997.

====Fountains====
According to the city's Department of Natural Resources and Resource Use Management,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.almatyeco.kz/1311 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070521220106/http://www.almatyeco.kz/1311 |url-status=dead |title=Заголовок :: Новости :: Департамент экологии Акимата г. Алматы – экол… |date=21 May 2007 |archive-date=21 May 2007 |access-date=23 October 2017}}</ref> {{As of|2007|lc=y}} the city had 125 fountains. Among them is the "Oriental Calendar" Fountain, whose 12 sculptural figures represent the 12 animals of the Kazakh 12-year animal cycle (similar to [[Earthly Branches|its Chinese counterpart]]).

There are now more than 120 fountains in Almaty, 61 of which are communally owned. Fountains, together with an extensive irrigation ditch network, play a big role in Alma-Ata – together they create a single complex of reservoirs and watercourses of the city. Every year at the end of spring, the city celebrates the "Day of Fountains" holiday where for the first time after winter, all the city's fountains are turned on. In 2006, a new fountain was opened on [[Sayram Lake|Lake Sayran]]. Previously, the highest fountain in the [[Commonwealth of Independent States]] (CIS) gushed from this lake – a stream of water 10&nbsp;cm in diameter reached a height of 50 meters. The fountain has been closed since 2008.<gallery widths="140" heights="110">
File:Fontan in the park kz.jpg|Fountain in First President's Park
File:The Zodiac Fountain in Almaty Kazakhstan.jpg|Zodiac Fountain
File:Kabanbai Batyr Street 85, Almaty, Kazakhstan - panoramio (1).jpg|Nedelka Prospect
File:Fountains in Republic Square Almaty -2.jpg|Fountains in [[Republic Square, Almaty|Republic Square]]
File:Almaty Fountain 2007.JPG|Fountain in [[Abai Square]]
File:ALA Vostok calendar.JPG|East Fountain
</gallery>

=== Recreation ===

==== Medeu ====
[[File:Medeo.jpg|thumb|Medeu]]
The [[Medeu]] is an outdoor [[speed skating]] and [[bandy]] rink. It is located in a mountain valley (Medeu Valley, or the valley of Malaya Alma-Atinka River) on the south-eastern outskirts of Almaty, [[Kazakhstan]]. Medeu sits 1,691 metres above sea level, making it one of the highest skating rinks in the world. It has 10,500 square meters of ice and utilizes a sophisticated freezing and watering system to ensure the quality of the ice.

Medeu was built in 1972 in the gorge of the same name, 15&nbsp;km from the city. "Medeo" was called "the factory of records", since 126 world records were set on the ice of a high-mountain skating rink in 33 years. A unique feature of the ice rink, located at an altitude of 1700 m, in thin air and high quality ice, provided by pure mountain water without admixture of salts. In addition, Above the sports complex there is a mudflow protection dam and the [[Shymbulak]]. In the 1990s, the Medeu was the venue for the Voice of Asia international music festival (Asia Dauysy).

==== Şymbūlaq ====
[[Shymbulak|Şymbūlaq]] is a [[ski resort]] near Almaty, located in the upper part of the Medeu Valley in the [[Zailiisky Alatau]] mountain range, at the elevation of 2,200 metres (7,200&nbsp;ft) above sea level. The resort area is about 25 kilometres (16&nbsp;mi) south of Almaty city by the [[Medeu]] road. It is popular for its mild climate, a large quantity of sunny days and a great amount of snow through the winter (from November until May). The resort offers both day and night skiing. The ski resort also hold a Guinness world record for the worlds highest ski slope available for night skiing.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://astanatimes.com/2023/03/shymbulak-mountain-resort-enters-guinness-book-of-records-as-worlds-highest-night-skiing-slope/#:~:text=The%20Astana%20Times-,Shymbulak%20Mountain%20Resort%20Enters%20Guinness%20Book%20of,World%27s%20Highest%20Night%20Skiing%20Slope&text=ASTANA%20%E2%80%93%20Almaty%27s%20Shymbulak%20mountain%20resort,reported%20the%20resort%27s%20press%20service | title=Shymbulak Mountain Resort Enters Guinness Book of Records as World's Highest Night Skiing Slope | work=The Astana Times | date=27 March 2023 | access-date=15 June 2024 | archive-date=24 June 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240624081047/https://astanatimes.com/2023/03/shymbulak-mountain-resort-enters-guinness-book-of-records-as-worlds-highest-night-skiing-slope/#:~:text=The%20Astana%20Times-,Shymbulak%20Mountain%20Resort%20Enters%20Guinness%20Book%20of,World%27s%20Highest%20Night%20Skiing%20Slope&text=ASTANA%20%E2%80%93%20Almaty%27s%20Shymbulak%20mountain%20resort,reported%20the%20resort%27s%20press%20service | url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Big Almaty Lake ====
[[Big Almaty Lake]] is a natural lake located in [[Trans-Ili Alatau]] mountains on 2511 above the sea level near Almaty (15&nbsp;km South from Almaty).
Like a majority of lakes in Trans-Ili Alatau, this lake formed as the result of an earthquake. The lake is a major source of drinking water for the region. People can access the lake by car (approximately 1 hour drive from the city center), bike, or hiking (approximately a half-day trip).

==== First President's Park ====
[[File:Entrance to The Park of the First President of Kazakhstan panoramic view - panoramio.jpg|thumb|377x377px|Entrance to the First President's Park, 2010]]
The [[First President's Park]] is an urban park located in Almaty at the intersection of Navoi Street and Al-Farabi Avenue in the [[Bostandyq District]]. The park was opened in July 2010.

Creation of the park began in 2001. The park is broken into three main areas–the avenue, boulevard, and dendrological areas. Greenery was planted according to dendrological plan. In honor of the participation of the city of Almaty in the Olympic torch relay of the [[2008 Summer Olympics|Beijing Olympic Games]], approximately one hundred spruces and birches were planted. In 2011, a hundred Tien-Shan spruces were also planted. Plans include a set of water projects over an area of 9.5 hectares.

====Kok Tobe Tower====
[[File:TV-Turm Almaty - 3.jpg|left|thumb|178x178px|Almaty Tower]]
An [[aerial tramway]] line connects Almaty with a [[Kók Tóbe Park|popular recreation area]] at the top of [[Kok Tobe|Kök Töbe]] ({{langx|kk|Көк-төбе}}, which means 'Blue Hill'), a mountain just to the southeast. It has a variety of tourist attractions, such as a zoo, amusement-park-style rides and restaurants.

The city television tower, [[Almaty Tower]], is located on the hill. It was built in between 1978 and 1983, and is 371.5 m tall.<ref>{{cite web |title=Almaty Tower |url=https://samarkandtours.com/kazakhstan/almaty/kok-tobe-hill/ |access-date=26 December 2020 |website=Samarkand Tours Operator |archive-date=9 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220109150857/https://samarkandtours.com/kazakhstan/almaty/kok-tobe-hill/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The TV tower, located at an altitude of 1000 m above sea level, is the tallest structure in Almaty. Its height is almost 372&nbsp;m, and it sits at an elevation of 1130&nbsp;m. The base of the tower is a reinforced concrete foundation in the form of a three-storey sectional basement. The barrel of the tower is a metal stepped hexahedron with a diameter of 18 m at the base, 13 and 9 m at the locations of maintenance services at heights of 146 and 252 m. The structure was built taking into account the seismic mountainous terrain and can withstand an earthquake of up to 10 points. The television tower is a complex of an operating radio and television transmitting station with a special mode of operation, therefore it is inaccessible for sightseeing tours of the city from a height. The tower, illuminated at night by powerful searchlights, is visible from almost anywhere in the city.

==== Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen ====
The [[Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen]] is a major park in Almaty, [[Kazakhstan]]. The park is located in east-central Almaty in the area surrounding Zenkov Cathedral. It is dedicated to and named after the Panfilov Heroes, 28 soldiers of an Almaty infantry unit who died fighting Nazi German invaders outside of Moscow in World War II. The group takes its name from Ivan Panfilov, the General commanding the 316th division which, in spite of heavy casualties, believed at that time managed to significantly delay the Germans' advance on the capital, buying time for the defenders of the city. An eternal flame commemorating the fallen of the [[Russian Civil War]] and the [[Great Patriotic War]] burns in front of the giant black monument of soldiers from all 15 Soviet republics.<gallery widths="190" heights="130">
File:Panfilov park 03.jpg|Panfilov Park
File:Вид на Алма-Ату от станции канатной дороги на Кок-Тобе.JPG|Kök Töbe cable car, 2007
File:Shymbulak Valley - CIMG8526.JPG|Shymbulak Valley
File:Watchtower in middle of Big Almaty Lake (3991851837).jpg|Watchtower in middle of [[Big Almaty Lake]]
</gallery>