Maria Christina, Duchess of Teschen

What people wore

Typical attire of peasant men

Ordinary Austrian peasant men wore short dark-gray jackets with clasps, red waistcoats with spherical metal buttons, and black leather breeches.

Getting around

Travel times by carriage in the 1700s

In the 18th century, a 30-kilometer trip between St. Pölten and Melk took 5 to 7 hours, while a 115-kilometer journey to St. Florian took 20 to 28 hours.

At the table

Meager diet of the common people

The vast majority of the population ate very meagerly, relying on dishes made from legumes like peas, beans, and lentils, as well as porridges made from millet, oats, or barley. Meat was only rarely served to the common person.

Music

Trumpets and timpani dominated Viennese ceremonies

During the 1740s, trumpets and timpani were the most frequently documented instruments in Vienna, performing at royal festivals, university ceremonies, and significant church events.

Daily life

Feeding children with bread-based pap

It was fashionable to feed young children a semisolid pap made of flour or bread cooked in water or milk to keep them quiet. Wealthy households often employed wet nurses and nannies to assist with the demands of child care.

What it cost

Vienna wages and meat prices 1749

By 1749, the daily wage for a worker in Vienna remained 15 Kreuzer, but the price of beef had risen to 8.93 Kreuzer per kilogram.