Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein

At the table

Traditional Danish breakfast habits

Families often started the day with ale porridge and salted herring; children typically drank from bowls while adults used cups.

What people wore

Festive black dresses for women

For festive occasions, women often wore a black dress made of linsey-woolsey, a mixture of wool and flax, which many first acquired for their confirmation or wedding.

Getting around

Stagecoach travel to Odense

In 1834, travelers could take a stagecoach from Copenhagen to Odense in under 24 hours for 10 Rigsbankdaler, a major improvement that removed the need for overnight stops.

What it cost

Rising food prices in Copenhagen markets

Between 1839 and 1873, the price of basic food items in Copenhagen increased significantly; for example, the price of a dozen eggs rose from 12 to 36 skillings.

Music

The enduring popularity of the minuet

While the minuet lost popularity among the elite, it remained a favored dance among ordinary people, often initiated by the bride's father at weddings.

Daily life

Cooking and Kitchen Life

In the first half of the 19th century, most families cooked over an open fireplace, and homes typically lacked private ovens, requiring residents to rely on bakers for oven-baked goods. Cast iron stoves with built-in ovens only began to replace open fireplaces in the second half of the century.