The Dressing Room

Most of the dowry that Catherine Jagiellon brought to Turku was clothes, accessories and other textiles, which were stored in chests situated in the dressing room. Larger items were hung from wall-mounted poles. There was a fireplace on the window wall of the chamber, the remains of which are currently behind the wooden door. The fireplace was necessary, as the wardrobe maid, who looked after the clothing, slept in the room.

Catherine’s stock in clothes was impressive. She owned almost one hundred dresses and, in addition to these, separate sleeves, capes, jackets, shoes, hats and veils that belonged to the dresses and could be changed. Many of the garments were decorated with pearls and various embroideries, with decorative slashing and furs. Silk, wool and velvet were used as materials, and some skirts were lined with, for example, lynx, sable or beaver skin. Most of Catherine’s attire reflected the fashions of sixteenth-century Poland.

With the dresses, the duchess wore headdresses, which, thanks to their gold, silver, pearl and precious stone decorations, exceeded the value of the dresses. For example, one of Catherine's headdresses was decorated with emeralds, rubies, diamonds, sapphires, and pearls.