World's largest chess piece constructed in St. Louis

Aug. 16 (UPI) -- Members of the World Chess Hall of Fame in Missouri built the largest chess piece in the world: a king standing at 20 feet tall.

Guinness World Records said the massive wooden sculpture, erected this year in St. Louis to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the St. Louis Chess Club, is the largest chess piece in the world, beating a 14-foot, 7-inch tall piece constructed in 2012.

The king, sculpted from African Sapele mahogany, stands in front of the World Chess Hall of Fame in the city.

"The iconic king chess piece not only serves as a beacon for the St. Louis Chess Campus, but also a regional and national landmark that exemplifies St. Louis' impact on the sport and art of American chess," said Brian Flowers, marketing communications coordinator for the World Chess Hall of Fame.