Blog

I ❤️ Museums-and I've spent years traveling the globe to see the best of them. I wanted to bring that same experience to HistoryMaps. With our Museum, anyone can interact with important historical objects and sites anywhere. 

I'm thrilled to announce that HistoryMaps content is once again available in 58 languages! When I removed multi-lingual support, it was a tough decision, and I've always felt bad about it. But now, I’m incredibly happy to bring it back, making our rich historical content accessible to everyone around the world. Thank you for your patience and support!

Also, World History Timeline has been redesigned and it is BEAUTIFUL! Today in History as well as History Calendar are also back for your pleasure. Both are free to view without subscription.

Timelines Game is back. It’s been redesigned with a more minimal look and now supports tablets as well.

Ask Herodotus, Connections, Hidden Histories, and Timelines Game are going to be redesigned and improved soon.

Mapboard is Whiteboard for Maps; it lets you visually tell stories, especially History on a map.

With Mapboard, you can drag and drop images directly onto a map and move them around as you narrate your story. Add text, use drawing tools, and layer in details to enhance your storytelling. Unlike static maps, which are fixed and one-dimensional, interactive maps allow you to move, explore, and engage with the content. This interactivity makes learning more intuitive, engaging, and memorable.

Whether you're a teacher looking to bring history lessons to life or a learner eager to dive deeper, Mapboard's dynamic features offer a superior way to understand historical events. Everything you create is saved, so you can revisit and refine your maps anytime. It's all about making history more interactive, intuitive, and fun.

HistoryMaps Is Going Subscription-Based! After four years, HistoryMaps is taking a big step forward. To ensure the sustainability and growth of the project, we're introducing a subscription model. This wasn't an easy decision, but it's a necessary one. With a subscription, you'll get access to all the content in HistoryMaps and WarMaps.

This shift means we can focus on delivering even more features, improvements, and content. There are tons of ideas in the pipeline to make history learning more intuitive and fun. Thanks for your support—exciting times ahead!

After much deliberation, I've decided to change the focus of HistoryMaps. The HistoryMaps Project won't just be about HistoryMaps anymore. It's now part of a broader collection of tools and resources for educators and history enthusiasts, including projects like WarMaps and HistoryShelf.

HistoryMaps will still be available, but no new content will be added (for now), and the multilingual support has been removed (I might add this back later); so it's now only in English.

This decision wasn't easy. At one point, we had 10,000 users a day, but the lack of support and appreciation was disappointing. I devoted five years of my life to this project, funded it myself, and turned down job opportunities to keep it going. 

Moving forward, HistoryMaps is part of a bigger picture, and I'm excited to see where these new projects will go. Whether they will be free or premium is yet to be decided.

Last week, all the websites for the History Maps project went down due to a hosting service issue. It was a very stressful time, but it's been resolved. This experience made me reflect on the direction of this project. After four years of self-funding and trying to make it sustainable, I'm at a crossroads. I need to seriously consider other ways to finance it or decide if it's time to let this project go. I've echoed these concerns in the past and I'm still struggling to figure what to do, but I'd like to keep it going as long as possible.

Mapboard is a drag-and-drop whiteboard tool for creating interactive, map-based stories. It lets users easily move, scale, rotate, and arrange images on a map. Designed for educators, students, and content creators, Mapboard is a powerful yet intuitive tool for visual storytelling. Inspired by my work on MapStory, it blends the utility of whiteboards, the flexibility of Images with the added context of georeferenced maps. Please try it out. Feedback is welcome.

I'm continuing to refine WarMaps. Every time it feels perfect, another idea/improvement appears; the pursuit of perfection is a never-ending cycle. I've added some new features recently that has made me very happy:

• Added an infobox of combatants, leaders, strength, and casualties.
• Wiki-style preview when you mouse-over a leader item. Now you can put a face to the name!
• Added hooks to Cause & Effects Connections.
• Clicking on year will navigate to World History Timeline.
• GeoJSON integration.
• Appendix section.
• Animation on the Drawers.
• Toast Notifications & Text-to-speech.
• Keyboard Navigation.
• Spent a lot of time updating the content.
• Data Cleaning and Transformation.
• Visual improvements (lots of infinitesimal tweaks)

I've been updating the other sites: Lines & Dots, WarMaps, and HistoryShelf. This month's deploy is a quiet one.

• World History Timeline fixed.
• Heroes page added.
• Cafe redirects to Discord channel.
• Cache-controls for Headers added.
• Switched ⏶ for "New" and ⏺ for "Updated" HistoryMaps.
• Media queries for desktop and monitors added.
• Ask Herodotus listens longer.
• Ask Herodotus will not speak a Url anymore.
• Visualizer is now Lines & Dots.
• Map marker location title is easier to see.
• UI improvements.

WarMaps needed an overhaul. I started by tearing down the old codebase, moving and refactoring components, which initially made things messy. But as I worked on fundamental issues, the code gradually became more clean. Every day was a new idea to make the app better and the codebase simpler. After a few days of solving core issues and adding new features, the project reached a nice state.I redesigned the sidebar, added navigation, included a service worker for quicker loading, gave the markers and maps a more video game–style look, and cleaned out old code. A couple more days of polishing, and it was transformed into a new shiny site ready for the public. I have other ideas with WarMaps which I might implement at a later date.

New Features

• Search (text, image) now available.
• Super-fast pages & Offline support (Service Workers).
• Hidden Histories: Invisible Ties. Find out if two historical events are related.
• Connections does not refresh the page when you click on Submit anymore.
• Cafe at the End of the World, HistoryMap Discord server.
• Herodotus responses show Wikipedia links.
• On the Homepage, Audio Player shows title & artist.
• On World History Timeline, map shows the location label.
• Footnote links work in Event pages.
• Sidebar shows Recent HistoryMaps.
• Blog has Year navigation.
• Audio Instructions Component.
• Text Instructions Component.
• You won't hear audio on top of each other anymore.
• added DNS Prefetching.
• Expand Icon animation when you hover over an image.
• added Footer.
• removed the mobile nav.
• More Design, UX, and UI improvements.
• lots of code refactoring
• Over 200 commits!

New HistoryMaps

• History of Argentina
• History of Chile
• History of Peru
• History of Colombia

New Features

• On each HistoryMaps, the Timelines can be downloaded as image.
• On World History Timeline, the timeline slider has been simplified and now works on mobile.
• Histograph is now called Connections.
• Removed the popup. While it increases traffic for the Shop, it's not good UX.

New HistoryMaps

• History of Uzbekistan
• History of Kazakhstan
• History of Kyrgyzstan
• History of Turkmenistan
• History of Mongolia
• History of Toyota

This year marked the opening of the Shop, HistoryMaps eCommerce store, offering history-themed products like journals and mugs to support the site. While sales have not yet reached a level to make the site sustainable, I remain hopeful that the coming year will bring improvement. For the past four years, HistoryMaps has been entirely self-funded.

I continued experimenting with AI and rolling out new features, including the launch of WarMaps, a companion to HistoryMaps. On the content front, I expanded the offerings with more HistoryMaps, articles, and video content. Looking ahead, I'm excited to delve into creating longer-form video content.

The site has undergone numerous UX and UI enhancements to ensure it is intuitive, visually appealing, and elegant. For example, content is now consistently formatted into paragraphs across all 58 languages. Additionally, "Ask Herodotus" has evolved into a global chatbot, with your Q&A saved in local storage.

Travel this year followed a similar pattern to last year: summer in Athens, including a two-week excursion to the Peloponnese; fall in Thailand; and a month exploring Japan. These journeys were a rich source of inspiration, and I've stored many ideas to refine and develop during the winter months.

Another expedition finished. Hanging my traveler's hat for awhile. Filled up on some ideas which I will try to implement during the winter. 

It was my last week in Tokyo. I worked on History of Kazakhstan in the mornings and then went out for a walk in some part of the city. In the evenings, I went to my favorite Yakiniku joints in Asakusa, filling up on burned meat and sake. Later, I headed to a sento in Sumida, a different one each night. The warm soak gave me time to think about the days, weeks, months that passed and the days quietly counting down until I head home.

I worked on the History of Uzbekistan at the cafe in my hotel. The cozy nook by the big glass windows and coffee made for good solid writing. After 3 days, I was done. During these days, I took a walk at the usual places - Shinjuku, Shibuya, Omotesando - it was really just an excuse to do a bit of shopping. I spent the cold nights drinking warm sake. When the cup grew lighter in my hand, I slowed my sips. I wasn't ready to face the cold walk back to my hotel yet.

In the afternoon, I went to Ryokuchikoen Park to see an open-air museum of Japanese farmhouses. It wasn't far from the center, and honestly, it's one of the best museums I've visited. The red leaves were starting to show, adding a kind of calm beauty to the whole place. I spent a quiet hour wandering and collecting ideas.

Later, I headed back to town and to do some shopping. I picked up a pair of Onitsuka Tiger shoes I'd been wanting for a while. Since it was my last night in Osaka, I found a yakiniku close to my hotel. Burning meat over a fire and pouring sake. What else do you need?

I woke up in the countryside near the sea. The air was quiet, and I moved slowly, still feeling a bit of last night's Shōchū in my head. Around noon, I borrowed a bike and rode toward Kinosaki. It was sprinkling lightly, but the ride was nice. The ocean and river stretched alongside me, calm and open, and there weren't many people around.

When I reached the town, it was livelier but not crowded. I checked my map and decided to start at the furthest onsen and work my way back. The first onsen was outside, surrounded by trees. The steam rose into the cool air, curling softly against the backdrop of the yellow and red colors of the changing season. For a while, I was the only one there, and the quiet gave me space to think. Ideas came to me, clear and steady, like the steam rising from the water.

Afterward, I found a nice cafe and sat down letting the ideas take shape. I went to the second and third onsens next, each with its own view, and my thoughts continued to flow. By the time I left the third one, I could feel the ideas settling into place.

I had lunch, then tried to visit a fourth onsen, but it was too hot, and I was starting to feel tired. I decided it was time to head back to the guesthouse. The ride back was slower. It started to rain again.

I started my day at a small coffee shop in town. It was empty inside, just me and my coffee. I sat by the big glass window, slowly sipping and watching the town outside. People passed by, going about their routines. I watched them, an outsider quietly wondering if there was a space for me in their world.

It felt good to do nothing. There’s a quiet joy in sitting still while the world keeps moving, like skipping school on a rainy day. I used to love those days, the feeling of stealing time for myself. When I finished my coffee, I walked to the train station and caught a train to Izumoshi. From there, I took a bus to Izumo Taisha, one of Japan's most important Shinto shrines.

I walked slowly through the shrine, taking in the colors of nature and how they seemed to blend seamlessly with the temple’s old wooden structures. The place had a stillness, like it had been waiting there forever. I stayed for about an hour, just wandering.

Later, I took the train back to Matsue. In town, I stopped by a secondhand shop. I wasn’t expecting much but ended up finding a jacket I’d been searching for. It felt like a small victory, the kind that makes the day feel complete.

I left Oda in the morning and arrived in Matsue by the afternoon. The train ride along the coast was as breathtaking as the previous days, with the tracks hugging the shoreline until Izumo, where the route turned sharply inland. At Izumo, I switched trains, and the view shifted from the coast to the serene beauty of Lake Shinji. After a couple of days of rain and clouds, the sun finally broke through, adding a warm glow to the scenery.

At the station, I grabbed a much-needed coffee and caught up on some work before checking into my hotel. Once I had dropped off my bags, I headed straight to Matsue Castle, which turned out to be one of the most impressive Japanese castles I've ever seen-truly a must-visit if you're in Matsue.

In the evening, craving some meat, I found a cozy yakiniku restaurant and enjoyed a hearty feast to end the day.

I left Hagi around noon. Due to recent storms, sections of the train route were under repair, so my journey along the Shimane coast involved a mix of buses and trains, with several station transfers. It wasn’t unpleasant, though, as the weather was perfect for admiring the rugged coastline. By nightfall, I arrived at Yunotsu Onsen.

After checking into my hotel, I went straight for a soak at one of the famous onsen in town. The water was almost too hot, but after a few minutes I adjusted to it; the weight of the day's journey melted away. Later, I found a local spot for dinner and ended the night with a drink at the bar.

I started my Shimane Coast voyage at Hagi. Spent a couple of days at a leisurely pace just walking around town and visiting the Old Town and Castle ruins.

After a Midnight flight from Thailand, I arrived in Fukuoka in the morning. I am back in Japan for my annual pilgrimage. Will be traveling the Shimane Coast for a week, then Osaka for a few days and then 2 weeks in Tokyo. Along the way, I'll be looking for new ideas, trying some new onsens, and eating the local delicacies.

A few years ago, on a forgotten stretch of the Silk Road, I found it-an unremarkable object, half-buried in the dust of a crumbling fortress. I didn't know what it was or why I took it. Maybe I liked the weight of it in my hands. Maybe it just felt... important.

I sent it to an old friend, Dr. Kiyoshi Tanaka, director of the Tokyo National Museum. He'd know what to do with it. We didn't speak of it again-until a few days ago, when his letter arrived.

Tanakasan's words were measured, but there was an urgency beneath them. The marker, he said, wasn't just a relic. It dated back to the Pax Mongolica, to the great Khan's time. There were markings-features-that connected it to something bigger. Something older.

Then came the twist. A similar artifact had surfaced before, long ago, on the Shimane coast. Debris from the Mongol fleet that never reached Japan. Ships shattered by storms and scattered along the shoreline. One of those artifacts, Tanaka said, was traced to the Hagi Museum.

He's already written ahead. His contact there will expect me. Tanaka's letter ends with one word: Hurry. I fold the paper, slip it into my jacket, and step out into the night. The trail is cold, the stakes unclear. But isn't that always the way? Somewhere, on the other side of the sea, an answer waits-or maybe just another question.

The One. A name I gave it years ago, on another expedition, when the search still felt like it mattered. A treasure? A truth? I don't even know anymore. The markers point somewhere, and I follow.

I've slipped back into life in Thailand: Monday Massages, Yakiniku on Wednesdays, Sushi on Fridays, an hour by the pool (to think up more ideas), and visiting the local coffee shops where I've been quietly adding more content, more improvements and soon more features. But I'm most excited about HistoryMaps Shop first Black Friday Sale on Nov 29 - Dec 2. It's going to be a 'Historic Sale'. 🥁 😂

Updates:

• Design improvements.
• Scroll Animation added.
• Herodotus answers question using voice.
• HistoryMaps updated with correct startYear.

New HistoryMaps:

• History of Denmark
• History of Sweden
• History of Norway
• History of Finland
• History of Iceland
• History of Estonia

I left the sunny shores of Greece for wet climes of Thailand. It's rainy season here, perfect for quiet contemplation.

Updates:

• Herodotus AI Chatbot is now global. You can use it on any page and works in all languages! If you are tired of typing, click the mic icon to ask Herodotus your question. Conversations can be downloaded to a text file.
• Content in all the languages is now formatted properly as paragraphs. This is a HUGE UX improvement.
• You can now select from various Mapstyles for the map.
• Starting to add images/map inline in the HistoryMaps. You can see this on the new History of Denmark.
• Added audio and sounds to make the site more engaging.
• Swipe-to-close sidebar on mobile.
• Improved tooltips.

I rented a car in Athens and set off on a two-week road trip through the Peloponnese. I started in the charming town of Nafplio, taking things nice and slow. But as I drove deeper into the Peloponnese, the scenery and roads became wilder and deeply beautiful. Highways would suddenly turn into tight alleys in the little towns that dotted the area; I still can't figure out how cars manage to squeeze through - it's like the laws of physics don't apply here! And judging by the Greek drivers, the traffic laws don't apply here either. 😂

Driving through the landscapes, passing the battlefields of the Peloponnesian War and the sites of the Greek War of Independence, I couldn't help but feel a deep, personal connection to history with each twist and stretch of the road. I made pilgrimages to ancient and medieval sites - Ephesus, Mycenae, Mystra, Monemvasia, Olympia - places I had only read about in the storybooks of my childhood. I wrapped up the trip in Methoni and Koroni, once the "Eyes of the Republic of Venice". Both had incredible castle fortresses, which, of course, I had to climb and explore.

Driving through the Mani Peninsula was the limit. Every turn revealed breathtaking views, with cliffs plunging into the turquoise sea below. There were spots where I couldn't resist pulling over for a dip in the clear waters, so I did.

Along the way, I feasted like Heracles in the tabernas, enjoying local dishes and, ofcourse, the seafood! It was an epic end to an amazing adventure, and I'm looking forward to reliving all those crazy moments once this year's expedition is done.

In a small Greek fishing village, there was a man known by his white Panama hat. Each evening, just before dusk, he would walk to the taverna, following the same path through the narrow streets. The locals were used to seeing him, though they knew little about him.

On his way to the taverna, he would pass a shop window with a large mirror. He glanced at it each time, as if expecting something new. The reflection was familiar, but the display behind it often changed, offering a brief escape from the sameness of his days.

At the taverna, he sat at the same table by the window. The waiter brought his usual-a glass of white wine, grilled fish, and bread. The man placed his hat on the table with care, aligning it just so. His meal began in the familiar way, each action steady, deliberate.

Midway through the meal, he took a sip of his wine. The alcohol began to ease into him, loosening the precision of his thoughts. He reached for his notebook and pen, allowing the wine to guide his hand as he began to write. The stories were fragments, reflections of the life around him, but with each sip, the sharp lines of his world softened, and the boundaries blurred.

For years, a cat would sit by his feet. Tonight, the space was empty.

He noticed, his pen pausing mid-sentence. The final piece of fish sat untouched for a moment before he finished it and returned to his writing.

He stood, took his hat, and placed a small coin on the counter before leaving-a simple, quiet gesture. Nothing more was said. Nothing more needed to be.

I've been back in Greece for the past two months, feasting at my local haunts and working on new projects like WarMaps, MapStory, and Nono's Odyssey. These are companion sites of the HistoryMaps project. WarMaps is an interactive resource showcasing battles throughout history, while MapStory allows users to create their own stories with maps, including HistoryMaps. Nono's Odyssey is a video game-like walkabout around the world.

• New Articles page: Thematic History
• Herodotus and Today in History have been fixed.
• New HistoryMaps: History of Aghanistan , History of Georgia , History of Azerbaijan , History of Albania

UX Improvements:

• Faster pages.
• Menu/Table of Contents Improvement.
• From Event pages, you can navigate to World History Timeline to see what was going on at that time.
• From Story pages, you can navigate to Timeline Game.
• Event pages show updated date.
• World History Timeline now sorted by Year, Month, and Date.
• Adjust font size for easy reading; layout is responsive.
• Fixed a bug which prevented some pages from showing.
• Videos now available for all.
• Categories now in 57 languages.
• Show/Hide Video.

Content:

• Added Periodization.
• Common Era notation.
• Updated Image Artwork.
• HMs added: Republic of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh
• HMs updated: Mughal Empire, Joseon

HistoryMaps got a major update today. This deployment is about feature/content integration, localization, mobile and a BUNCH of design changes. I've been making all the pieces of the site connect and talk to each other, making them work in all languages and making sure they are available on mobile/tablet. This deployment is one week late, but I wanted to make sure everything was perfect before releasing this version. All these features are available on mobile and in 57 languages.

Integrations:

• Find the cause/effect from an Event page.
• Find books (if available) from Story/Event page(s).
• Take a Quiz (if available) from Story page.
• Navigate to Event (localized) page from World History Timeline.

Localization:

• World History Timeline is now available for 57 languages.
• Internal links navigate to localized (language) page(s).

Mobile:

• World History Timeline now works on Mobile.
• Optimized layout for Tablet.
• Map Markers active on Mobile.

Other:

• Site is faster!
• QR code for Museums, orgs, etc.
• Donate buttons.
• Card Layout redesign.
• Hundreds of design fixes. (I stopped counting).
• Toolbar repositioned & updated with new buttons.
• 5 HMs added: Israel, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia.
• Added Subscribe Newsletter button on footer.
• Story and images added, edited, and improved.

This was a year of AI experiments, travel, and milestones.

I spent the early part of the year living and traveling around the Balkans, Turkey and Greece. I lived in Istanbul and Athens where I started to experiment with AI, integrating it in the tech stack, creating features with it and using it to create content (article and image generation). I spent the latter part of the year in Asia where I continued much the same.The project achieved significant milestones. Traffic spiked in August when I translated the content to more languages and it spiked again in November when we reached 10,000 daily users. We got our 1 millionth user just this month. Among these achievements, the most fulfilling aspect has been the global reach of the site. HistoryMaps is read daily in 57 languages from all over the world (94% global reach).However, with increasing traffic comes substantial rise in operational costs. The project is at a stage in its journey where it's necessary to choose which path to follow next. Thank you for your support so far.

Visiting Seoul for a week. The last time I was here was 2015. It was due time. Visiting the National Museum of Korea, seeing the fall colors, and eating lots of Samgyeopsal. Updating the History of Korea as well.

It's been a great 3-week break in Thailand so far: enjoying delicious food and smiles. I just wrapped up the History of Vietnam — it took a whole week to complete. The good news is that last month's optimizations are working; traffic has increased. It's rewarding to see all of the content (including World Timeline & Time Machine) read globally in 42 languages. Bad news is that costs have gone up and the site generates no revenue; this is a self-funded project. I need to figure out how to make the site self-sufficient, but that's a problem for another day.

I was having coffee in Bucharest one day and accepted that I was tired. I've been traveling in Europe since last October and the constant movement has been taxing. I need to go back somewhere familiar. Thailand is like a second home to me and I instinctively go there when I need to rest. Spending a few days in Bangkok before heading to Chiang Mai where I will spend a couple of months eating good food, working on more experiments and adding more content (especially on Southeast Asia).

In Bucharest to write about History of Romania. I was here 5 years ago and the plan this time is to visit some new places like Cluj-Napoja as well as revisit old favorites like Brasov and Sibiu. Although, to be honest, I'm getting tired. I long for familiar places.

I've wanted to visit this Veliko Tarnovo since it was the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire. The old fortified city was breathtaking.

History Shelf is Goodreads for History lovers. It's super easy and quick to make a History Shelf on any historical topic.

Sad to leave Athens and Greece. I'll be resting in nearby Bulgaria for a month. Will be writing content on the History of Bulgaria, First Bulgarian Empire, Second Bulgarian Empire and optimizing the site.

Connections - Cause & Effect Graph. Enter a historical event (economic history or otherwise) and it will return a list of effects this event caused. You can then click on each event to see its cause, and so forth.

In Rodos for a week researching the Siege of Rhodes while doing one of my favorite travel activities: exploring castles.

Do you have a question about History? Ask Herodotus is a History AI Chatbot that answers and provides resources on History.

What was happening in Asia during the European Migration Period? What was happening around the world at a certain time in History? Seeing historical events visually on a timeline and map is intuitive and engaging. World History Timeline is a good way to explore Comparative History.

I was inspired to write about the History of Mathematics here.

Knights of Malta began construction of Bodrum Castle in 1404. Came here to find clues of the Order's secrets.

Spent my time in Ankara climbing up and down to the Castle. There is an old ancient area filled with some nice places to drink chai.

Istanbul has been on my bucket list of cities to live for awhile. With its tall minarets and busy bazaars, every corner feels like a page from history, revealing layers of its rich history. Since I planned a month-long Anatolian Expedition (inspired by Seljuks, Ottomans, and Crusaders), this was a perfect time to live in this historic city. I plan on creating several HistoryMaps focused on Turkiye, as well as an epic narrative dedicated to the Ottoman Empire.

After spending Christmas and New Year in a cozy apartment in Split, I ventured south along the Adriatic - to a quiet coastal Montenegrin town where the wine is good and the fish is delicious.

It's great to recharge with a sunny Adriatic sea a few steps away and narrow alleys of Split to explore. Just launched both iOS and Android Apps of HistoryMaps.

I've traded Poland's icy squares for Croatia's sunlit tiles. I rented a nice apartment tucked away in the mazelike alleys of the old town, just a few steps from Diocletian's Palace. I'll be spending Christmas and New Years here.

A few days ago, someone kindly offered their translation API (neural network-based and written in Rust) to help translate the content to different languages. Today, HistoryMaps is now available in 8 differen't languages.

The year's expedition starts next week, but the opening move is still undecided. Sitting in a quiet café in Le Marais, I flipped through an old travel guide. A photo of Poland, covered in snow, caught my eye. It felt like a sign. Without thinking too much, I booked a flight to Krakow.The rest of day was spent finishing my coffee.