Of all the mountain groups in the Eastern Alps, the Nockberge have the greatest age at 60 million years. You can also see it in their faces, because while the Hohe Tauern in the west and the Karawanken, the Julian and Carnic Alps in the south still radiate an almost youthful ruggedness, the Nockberge with their gently rounded mountains and crests (also called Nocken) rest like wise giants within themselves.