Hercynian System is a system of mountain ranges formed during the Hercynian orogeny, caused by the collision of the supercontinents Euramerica and Gondwana during the Devonian and Carboniferous periods (390-310 Ma), i.e., "shortly" after the Caledonian orogeny (520-400 Ma). Originally, it was a chain of several thousand meters high mountains stretching across the new supercontinent Pangea. However, these mountains did not last long and were already eroded during the Permian (the end of the Paleozoic, 299–251 Ma). Many of today's mountains in the Hercynian geological area (e.g., Krkonoš) gained their height much later when they were uplifted along fault lines during the Alpine orogeny. Their summit areas, however, still show a flattened Paleozoic surface. It is divided into Hercynian Mountains (most of Western and Central Europe) and Epihercynian Lowlands (most of Northern and Eastern Europe). The highest peak is Monte Cinto (2706 m) in Corsica.