Princess Eleonora of Savoy

Getting around

Slow and difficult carriage travel

Travel by carriage was complex and often slow, requiring constant stops for harness repairs or because road conditions created deep ruts and hollows.

At the table

Drinking frugal wine substitutes

To save money, families often drank low-alcohol beverages like acquerello or mezzone instead of pure wine, which was largely sold for profit.

What people wore

Soldiers' neckcloths indicated their rank

In the Duchy of Modena, soldiers' neckcloths served as rank identifiers, with ordinary soldiers tying them at the back and corporals wearing them with the ends hanging down at the front.

Music

The Zapato Gift Festival

The zapato was a specialized court festival held around Saint Nicholas Day, centered on the tradition of exchanging gifts.

Daily life

Narrow, deep urban housing arrangements

Urban houses were narrow, deep, and usually spanned a ground floor with a shop, one or two living levels, and an attic. A typical dwelling included two rooms per floor, often alternating between a street-facing kitchen and a back bedroom.