Ustad Ali Maryam

Who is Ustad Ali Maryam?

Ustad Ali Maryam was a famous architect of 19th century Persia.

He is famous for designing three edifices in particular, all in Kashan:

⁕The Borujerdi-ha House

⁕The Tabatabaei House

⁕Timcheh-ye Amin od-Dowleh

The word "ustad" means master in Persian. The name "Maryam" he picked up when Ustad Ali built a beautiful house for a woman by the name "Maryam" in Kashan.

It is written that Ustad Ali Maryam would build maquette models of the buildings he would build.

The Borujerdi residence alone took 18 years to build. It was built for the bride of the Borujerdi family, who came from the affluent Tabātabāei family, for whom Ustad Ali had built a house some years earlier.

The Timcheh-ye Amin od-Dowleh was commissioned by Mirza Ali Khan, an influential statesman of the Qajarid court, whose title was "Amin-od-dowleh". It is located in the Kashan Bazaar, where Persian rugs are still sold and traded. Ustad Ali also built a house and caravanserai for Amin al-Dowleh.