The Monument to the Independence of Quito, also known as Monument to the Heroes of August 10, 1809, is a commemorative column located in the center of the Plaza Grande, in front of the Carondelet Palace. It was inaugurated on August 10, 1906 to commemorate the first cry of independence of Latin America. This monument is one of the most important icons of the Historic Center of Quito and a site of political concentration due to its proximity to the Carondelet Palace, seat of the Ecuadorian government.

The history of this monument begins with the events of August 10, 1809, when the patriots of Quito, led by Juan Pío Montúfar, proclaimed the independence of Quito, forming the Sovereign Junta. Despite the efforts of repression by the colonial authorities, the junta was dissolved in October 1809 after a military siege. Later, in 1810, a popular mutiny known as the August 2 Mutiny sought to free the imprisoned patriots, but was brutally repressed.

In 1888, during the presidency of José María Plácido Caamaño, the design of a commemorative monument was authorized, and in 1894, President Luis Cordero Crespo commissioned the design to Juan Bautista Minghetti. However, due to the civil war and the arrival of the liberals to power, the project was halted. In 1898, President Eloy Alfaro took up the project again and decided to finance it with public funds, establishing a special fund for its construction. After several logistical problems, European sculptors were chosen and the work was commissioned to Francisco Durini Cáceres, who kept Minghetti's original idea.

The monument was designed with influences from the Roman honorary columns and is composed of an octagonal base, with two platforms and a set of sculptures. At the base, there is a wounded lion, representing the fall of Spanish power, and an Iberian ensemble, symbolizing the wars of independence. The pedestal supports a sculpture of a condor, representing the freedom of Quito, and the column, topped by a figure of the Lady of Independence, pays homage to the figure of Libertas, Roman goddess of freedom.

The monument also has several commemorative plaques, including a main one that reads "To the heroes of August 10, 1809", and others that represent key events such as the signing of the act of independence, the massacre of the patriots in 1810, and the act of independence of Quito. The Lady of Independence holds several symbols of freedom, such as the Orb, representing imperial power, the arms, symbolizing unity and strength, the laurel wreath, indicating victory, and the firebrand, symbolizing the light of reason.

This monument is not only a tribute to the independence heroes, but also a symbol of the struggle for freedom and the historical memory of Ecuador.