Columna de los Próceres de 1820, Memorial column in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

The Columna de los Próceres de 1820 is a 27-metre commemorative column in the centre of Guayaquil's Parque Centenario. Its granite base carries statues of José Joaquín de Olmedo, José de Villamil, José de Antepara and León de Febres Cordero facing the four cardinal points, plus four allegorical figures, four reliefs of the October 1820 events and eight bronze medallions of patriots. The bronze shaft, 10.80 m tall, bears the Act of Independence of 9 October 1820 and the patriots' names.

The column was not conceived in 1821: the Catalan sculptor Agustín Querol won the international competition for it in 1907. After Querol died, Cipriano Folgueras took over the work and was in turn replaced by Josep Montserrat. The column was inaugurated on 9 October 1918, and the placement of the statues by Italian artist Giuseppe Beneduce continued afterwards.

This column serves as a vital symbol in Guayaquil's cultural identity, functioning as a gathering point for civic ceremonies, patriotic celebrations, and educational visits that reinforce national pride and historical memory.

Located in Parque del Centenario, the monument offers free public access throughout the day, with guided tours available and informational plaques providing historical context for visitors and school groups.

The column's bronze shaft, 10.80 metres tall, carries the text of the Act of Independence of 9 October 1820 and the names of the patriots. The eight bronze medallions around the pedestal portray figures such as Colonel Miguel de Letamendi, Lieutenant Colonel Gregorio Escobedo and Colonel Rafael Ximena.