Sigmund Reichardt von Tättenbach

At the table

Festive deep-fried treats

For celebrations, families might enjoy deep-fried pastries like Nonnenfürzle, which were made from dough cooked in hot fat and dusted with sugar.

What people wore

Exclusive aristocratic symbols

Wearing the color red or sporting a feather on a hat were considered highly elitist practices reserved for the aristocracy and prohibited for the rural population.

Getting around

River travel was faster than land transport.

Travel by boat downstream was the fastest method, with one vessel type covering 450 kilometers from Regensburg to Vienna in at least a week. Boats could reach up to 150 kilometers in 24 hours under optimal downstream conditions.

What it cost

Daily wages for workers in 1625

In 1625, a male mason or carpenter in Zwettl earned 24 Kreuzer per day without food, while a day laborer earned 6 Kreuzer with food.

Music

Musical instruments at noble gatherings

At social gatherings of the nobility, people entertained themselves by dancing, playing games, and performing music on pairs of instruments such as the lute and viol, or cornetto and drum.

Daily life

Kitchen as shared living space

The kitchen served as the primary living and heating space in farmhouses, and at night, it was common to shelter poultry indoors to keep them safe.