Johann Leopold von Habsburg

At the table

Creative Substitutes in Rural Cooking

Facing shortages, rural families practiced creative cooking by mimicking expensive dishes, using names like false almond cake or false meat soup to describe their humble substitutes.

What people wore

Winter undergarments and petticoats

Women did not wear underpants, relying instead on multiple petticoats to stay warm during winter. Men wore long underpants in the winter that were tied at the belly and ankles.

Getting around

Carriage travel times

Travel was slow and difficult; for example, a journey by carriage between St. Pölten and Melk, a distance of 30 kilometers, took 5 to 7 hours under good weather conditions.

What it cost

Price of bread in Vienna

Between 1650 and 1674, the price of bread in Vienna ranged from 1.27 to 2.82 Kreuzer per kilogram.

Music

Authorities banned music during crises

Music performances were frequently forbidden by authorities during times of crisis, such as the appearance of a comet in 1681 or during the Turkish wars of 1605.

Daily life

Winter schooling for children

Regular schooling for children was typically only possible during the winter months when agricultural work was less demanding. Often, there was only one classroom with a single teacher who instructed all the children regardless of their different ages.