a masterpiece of traditional Persian architecture of the 19th century
The Iranian Borujerdis house is the product of a traditional desert architecture that features elements from both pre-Islamic and Islamic periods. It is located in Ishafan province, on Alavi Street in the town of Kashan, and represents one of the most beautiful historic houses there. Its stunning beauty and elegance, a product of the amazing craftsmanship of the times, make it a stunning representation of Persian residential architecture.
It was built in 1857, a fruitful period for building in Kashan, since a large portion of the town was destroyed by a massive earthquake at the end of the 18th century. Many spectacular palaces collapsed, but new ones were built in their stead. Most of the area’s historical buildings still standing today were built during this period.

A wealthy merchant by the name of Sahdi Mehdi Borujerdis was courting a lady from a rich and respected family in Kashan, the Tabatabaeians. Since the Tabatabaei house is one of the most beautiful houses in Kashan even today, the marriage condition for Sahdi was to create a house for his future wife that would be at least as beautiful as her family’s residence. The construction lasted almost 20 years, with a vast number of craftsmen, architects, and workers involved–by some estimation, more than 150 people.
The great visionary behind the construction of the house was Usad Ali Maryam, the same architect who had built the Tabatabaei house. Other prolific artists were involved and credited with the amazing wall paintings: The Qajar-era royal painters Sani ol Molk and his nephew Kamal ol Molk. Most of the oil and watercolor paintings were inspired by the Russian and European fashion, featuring animals, flowers, arabesques, or hunting scenes. Kamal ol Molk also supervised another stunning feature of the house–the stucco-relief decorations.