bˈɛnɛɹz wʌz bˈɪlt ɪnðə lˈeɪt wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti z fɚɹɚ ɹᵻtˈaɪɚd ˈɑːfɪsɚɹ ʌvðə bɹˈɪɾɪʃ ˈɑːɹmi hˌuː hæd sˈɜːvd ɪn ˈɪndiə, dʒˈeɪmz bˈiː. hˈæɹɪs.
Benares was built in the late 1850s for a retired officer of the British army who had served in India, James B. Harris.