Grand Duke Alexei Mikhailovich of Russia

Music

Dance music moves from nobility to farmers

In the mid-19th century, professional musical groups like the Concerto Cantoni began performing dance music such as the waltz, polka, and mazurka for farmers, whereas this music had previously been restricted to the homes of the nobility.

Daily life

Lack of public water and sewage infrastructure

Public water pipes were rare; by the late 19th century, over half of municipalities lacked them, forcing people to draw water from wells or public fountains. Sewage systems were also non-existent in over 77 percent of municipalities, often leading to contaminated water.

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

Washing and mending working clothes

Workers often wore the same clothes for entire seasons to avoid wearing out their limited Sunday best, and their laundry was a significant weekly burden that involved extensive washing and patching rather than ironing. On feast days, laundry hanging from windows in popular neighborhoods served as a colorful display of these mended, sometimes faded, working garments.

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.