Two prominent heroes of the South American War of Independence were Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín. Respectively, they were named The Liberator and The Protector. From 1808 until 1826, they were instrumental in defeating the Spanish Empire and securing freedom for all Latin American countries. Their only meeting took place in Guayaquil on July 26, 1822, shortly after Quito overcame the Spanish leading to Ecuador’s liberty. The Rotunda was erected to celebrate the accomplishments of these two military leaders. Above the columns of the hemicycle are the flags of the countries they liberated. The sculptures of the two emancipators were created in 1938 by José Antonio Homs.
