The origin of the volcanic activity began during the collision of the
African Plate and
Eurasian Plate, the formation of the
Styrian basin and the simultaneous filling of part of the associated
Paratethys sea began about 18
ma, in that period the volcanic activity would begin due to the system of
faults and would be at its apogee 15 ma ago, the volcanic peaks protruded from the paratethys sea while the sea was inhabited by different marine species, the sea was shallow, around 13 ma ago and would begin to dry slowly and around 11 ma the land would become more
swampy, with small
lakes and
trees where now quadrupeds and birds would inhabit at the same time the volcanic activity would also be extinguished even though the expulsions of
lava and
ash would continue, although the activity would continue in volcanoes such as
Pauliberg and
Gleichenberg Kögel, around 5 ma the region would have already dried up and the uplift phase of the basin and the
erosion of the
rock mass would begin, the last volcanic phase would begin in the
Pleistocene during the
ice age, == Tourism ==