Nockstein, Mountain summit in Salzkammergut range, Austria.

Nockstein is a mountain summit of about 1,042 meters (3,420 feet) with a steep rock face on its northern side. The peak stands near the Gaisberg region with varying terrain across its slopes.

The rock formation was documented as early as 1188, when the lords of Nockstein settled in Koppl below. A first trail from Gnigl was laid out in 1883 and named after former governor Hugo Graf Lamberg. In 1907 the Austrian Tourist Club erected an obelisk on the summit, which was partly destroyed by a lightning strike.

The name Nockstein comes from the knightly family of the Herren von Nockstein, documented in Koppl in 1188. Since summer 2010 two stone sculptures by Salzburg artist Georg Walter have stood in a notch just below the summit, and walkers on the steep, partly rope-secured paths pass them on the way up.

The climb is moderate and takes about two hours with an elevation gain of around 250 meters (820 feet). Marked trails and parking areas make access straightforward for most visitors.

In a notch just below the summit, two stone sculptures by Salzburg artist Georg Walter were installed in summer 2010. The 1907 obelisk set up on the summit by the Austrian Tourist Club was partly destroyed by a lightning strike.