Photograph of Queen's College, Benares from the Kitchener of Khartoum Collection: 'Views of Benares. Presented by the Maharaja of Benares' by Madhao Prasad, c.1905. There had been a college on this site at Varanasi since 1791 when Jonathan Duncan set up an institution for the study of Sanskrit literature. New buildings (pictured) were built in a Gothic style between 1847-52 to the designs of Major Kittoe. The façade was decorated with Chunar stone which was carved and engraved with inscriptions in the Nagari character.