Christian, Crown Prince of Denmark

At the table

Clarifying coffee with fish skin

Coffee was boiled in copper kettles and sometimes clarified with a piece of dried flounder skin, as coffee filters did not exist.

What people wore

Skirt colors indicated status

Women used skirt colors to signal status: red for unmarried girls, green for married women, and blue for festive occasions.

Getting around

Mail coach travel from Copenhagen to Roskilde

In the mid-18th century, a horse-drawn mail coach could travel from Copenhagen to Roskilde in 4 to 5 hours, covering the distance in one go, provided the roads were not muddy or prone to accidents.

Work

Cost of food in the 1740s

In the 1740s, a loaf of rye bread in Copenhagen cost between 1/3 and 2 1/3 skilling, while a pound of butter cost 10 skilling.

Music

Wedding Music and Musician Payments

Wedding musicians played 'over table' during meals and were often paid 3 to 6 marks by guests at the end of the feast.

Daily life

Shared living conditions in Nyboder

In 18th-century Copenhagen, Nyboder apartments often lacked private kitchens, forcing families to share a hallway-like cooking space with neighbors. People also relied on shared outdoor toilets consisting of sheds over pits that required periodic emptying by night men.