Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria

What people wore

Hairstyles and Straw Hats

In parts of the Ennstal region, women wore their hair in two braids wound around a large hair needle above the nape of the neck. They covered their heads with a wide-brimmed straw hat featuring black trim, which was pinned to their hair and often kept on all day, even during meals.

Daily life

Cooking without stoves or ovens

Cooking was performed on an open fire without a stove or oven, meaning roasted dishes and cakes were not part of the standard menu. All household tasks were carried out by human or animal muscle power without the aid of machines.

Music

Music in taverns and on streets

Ordinary people frequently enjoyed music in taverns where instruments like the violin, zither, guitar, and dulcimer were often available for visitors to play themselves. Public street musicians, such as harpists and hurdy-gurdy players, were also common fixtures of everyday life in the city.

Getting around

Railways drastically cut travel times

The introduction of railways significantly reduced travel time, such as the journey from Vienna to Graz dropping from twenty-nine hours by coach to nine hours by train.