Ustad Ali Maryam was a famous architect ("mimar") of 19th century Persia.
He is famous for designing three edifices in particular, all in Kashan:
The name "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 house of Borujerdi-ha alone took 18 years to build. It was built for the bride of the Borujerdi-ha family, who came from the affluent Tabatabaei family, whom Ustad Ali had built their house some years earlier.
The Timcheh amin-al dowleh (built in 1863) was commissioned by Amin al-dowleh, a royal Qajarid politician, and 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.
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