Ausrufestein Mittelberg

The Ausrufstein stands on a slight rise in the village of Mittelberg, in the Kleinwalsertal valley of Vorarlberg. A single stone slab weighing 1.8 tonnes, it was set in place in January 1595. For more than three centuries it served as the village’s calling stone, where the town crier read aloud official news after Sunday mass. The slab’s front face bears a carved relief of the year it was raised. Its purpose faded after 1919, when the village began publishing an official gazette. The stone then became a quiet witness to local history, no longer needed for daily announcements. Visitors can still see the broad, flat platform and the worn surface where generations stood to listen. The site lies along the Walser Culture Trail, a walking route that links historic points in the valley. From the stone there are views across the surrounding alpine meadows and the peaks beyond. The relief stands clear against the grey rock, marking a small but lasting piece of village life.