Prince Alfred of Liechtenstein

Getting around

Trains replaced slower horse-drawn coaches

Taking the train from Vienna to Graz significantly improved mobility, taking nine hours by rail compared to twenty-nine hours by stagecoach.

At the table

Meat consumption frequency for workers

Ordinary workers typically ate meat only twice a week, usually on Saturdays and Sundays.

What people wore

Swaddling practices and constant headwear use

Infants were placed in swaddling cushions for several months to ensure they grew straight, and male toddlers were dressed in dresses just like girls. Adults of both genders kept their headwear on all day, even while eating meals at the table.

Music

Evolution of dance and instrumentation

Dances like the polka, waltz, mazurka, and schottische were increasingly integrated into the repertoire alongside traditional dances, with brass ensembles often replacing older string groups in many performance settings. Although these styles evolved, traditional folk dances remained deeply anchored in daily life and festivals.

Daily life

Shared water taps in Vienna apartment buildings

In urban Vienna, many apartments lacked private water or toilets, requiring residents to fetch water from a shared tap in the corridor called a bassena.