Archduchess Maria Josepha of Austria

What people wore

Everyday versus festive fabric quality

Ordinary people in Tyrol distinguished between everyday and feast day attire by the quality of the fabric, wearing blouses made of coarse linen for daily work and finer linen for holidays.

Getting around

Stagecoach limits: ~37 km/day

Stagecoaches were limited by roads and track spacing, managing only about 37 km per day on average in early modern conditions.

At the table

Common refreshment for poor women

Poor women who could not afford wine often drank water mixed with vinegar to quench their thirst.

Music

The Ländler and Early Viennese Waltz

Around 1750, the Ländler, also known as the Schleifer, served as a popular country dance for couples and provided the foundation for the later Viennese waltz.

Daily life

Shared urban living in cramped quarters

For ordinary residents, homes were often cramped rented rooms in multi-story buildings where daily tasks like cooking, sleeping, and working were all performed in the same limited space. Families relied on neighborhood wells and fountains for water and had to manage heating through tiled stoves that required constant attention.

What it cost

Wedding music cost 33 gulden in 1755

In 1755, a wealthy merchant family paid 33 gulden for music for a wedding, which is equivalent to a significant luxury expense compared to everyday food costs.