Powerful mountain ranges with steep rock faces, crystal clear rivers and lakes, dense forests and narrow gorges mark the Nature Park Steirische Eisenwurzen. This archaic mountain scenery seems to have remained completely unchanged for millions of years. However, a few million years back in geological history, one could find snails the size of a fist rooting through the sandbanks near the coasts of the warm, tropical sea. Fish saurians of 10 meters length swam next to primary sharks between reefs of corals and shells. The area of today’s lush meadows and archaic forests was covered by enormous glaciers only 20,000 years ago.