Franz Joseph de Bragança

Music

Zampognari bagpipers at Christmas

At Christmas, zampognari bagpipers from the Abruzzi mountains traveled to Naples to perform with a bagpipe and a small clarinet called a ciaramella. They went from house to house playing and singing for the Novena, the nine days before Christmas.

Daily life

Poor housing and shared living spaces

In many rural areas, peasant families lived in small, damp, two-story houses with dirt floors, often sharing space and warmth with their livestock during the winter. Urban poor households frequently lacked windows, relied on smoke-filled kitchens, and suffered from a lack of sanitation, such as sewers or waste collection.

What it cost

Worker purchasing power in post-unification Italy

Between 1862 and 1878, a worker in the construction sector could purchase approximately 2.9 baskets of essential food items per day with their salary. In the Mezzogiorno region, where prices were lower, this purchasing power increased to 3.2 baskets.

What people wore

Folk costumes signaled social status

Folk costumes in rural Italy served as detailed social markers, where the quality of dye, the number of buttons, or even the type of metal in a finger ring signaled a wearer's wealth and marital status. These traditional outfits, often featuring unique local embroidery and lace, were brought out specifically for harvest festivals and religious processions.

Getting around

Stagecoach travel was slow and exhausting

Before widespread rail, stagecoaches were primary for intercity travel, with a journey from Bologna to Florence taking up to 15 hours. Travel was slow, often requiring numerous stops at post stations to change horses.

At the table

Pizza as an affordable daily meal

Poor Neapolitans could purchase a slice of pizza for one soldo, a common price for a simple meal including items like fried fish or boiled corn.