History.
In parallel.

A timeline app for iPhone that lets you explore history side by side.

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Parallel filter active, highlighting Van Gogh's contemporaries
Parallel timeline overview
A first example

Three giants. One year.

The year 1564 is a quiet collision. Three people whose names define the era, and most history books never put them on the same page.

1564
Three giants, one year.
Michelangelo
Galileo
Shakespeare

Galileo is born. Three days later, Michelangelo dies.
That same year, Shakespeare comes into the world.

Why I built this

History rarely tells you what else was happening. Parallel does.

Anatol Knotek

“Standing in front of a painting in a museum, I want to know: Who were the artist's contemporaries? Who was in power? What wars were being fought? What else was happening at the time? I want to understand the circumstances under which a work was created. Parallel is the tool I built for exactly those questions.”

Anatol Knotek · Vienna, 2026

The idea

Centuries at a glance. Details at a tap.

Most history is told as a single thread. One person, one period, one place.

Parallel layers multiple timelines on top of each other. Zoom out to see centuries at a glance, or zoom in until you can read every month. Swipe through thousands of years of history with a single gesture.

Double-tap any entry, and the app shows you who else was alive at the same time: Goethe was six when Mozart was born, and Beethoven died while Schubert was still composing.

Parallel quick preview popup over the timeline, showing Ludwig van Beethoven's bio, Wikipedia link, and a “Show Contemporaries” button
Who Parallel is for

A timeline for many uses.

For the curious

You always wanted to know what else was happening during Mozart's lifetime? Exactly for that.

While reading

A novel set in another century? A biography? Look up who was alive at the same time, across art, science, and politics.

In the classroom

Make history understandable by laying it side by side. Build a collection for each lesson or import via CSV.

For your own stories

Family chronicle, oeuvre catalogue: anything that can be told on a timeline.

In use

Parallel at a museum.

What is in the app

The tool for the curious.

Nine collections to explore

History, cut into nine parts: Important Events, Empires & Eras, Rulers & Politicians, Painters & Sculptors, Classical Music, Philosophy & Religion, Science & Technology, Literature, and Buildings. 285 entries in total, each with a short note and a Wikipedia source, in English and German from day one.

Your own collections

Build a timeline of your grandparents' lives, every Beethoven symphony, or every Roman emperor. Parallel does not care what you collect. Start with up to 15 entries for free, go unlimited with Pro.

Import your own timelines (Pro)

Create CSV files in any spreadsheet and import them into Parallel. Build exactly the timeline you need.

title;startYear;startMonth;startDay;endYear;endMonth;endDay;type;category;colorHex Michelangelo;1475;3;6;1564;2;18;person;Artists;#E74C3C Galileo Galilei;1564;2;15;1642;1;8;person;Sciences;#16A085 William Shakespeare;1564;4;26;1616;4;23;person;Literature;#5B4FC8
Read the full guide →

Filter and discover

Filter by contemporaries, categories, or eras. Everything that does not match fades away. A fast way to discover unexpected connections.

Pay once. Keep forever.

No subscription. No hidden fees. No surprise bills. One payment unlocks everything. Family Sharing lets up to five family members use it from the same purchase.

Your privacy is respected

Everything stays on your device. No account to create. No tracking. No ads. The app works completely offline after install.

Pricing

Simple. No subscription.

Free

€0
Forever
  • Nine collections to explore (English & German)
  • 1 personal collection
  • Up to 15 entries
  • All filters included

Premium packs

€1.99
Per pack, one-time
  • Expand built-in collections
  • Curated by Anatol
  • Bought once, kept forever
Browse all packs →

No subscription, no ads, no account required. Family Sharing supported. Requires iPhone with iOS 18.2 or later. Under 10 MB. Works offline.

Support

Questions? Write to me.

Parallel is built and maintained by me alone. Just send an email to [email protected].

I also share updates on Instagram. You can follow me on @anatol.app.

You'll find the FAQs here.

Enjoying Parallel? A short review on the App Store helps more than you might think.