Invited review to appear in the proceedings "New Horizons in Globular Cluster Astronomy", ed. G. Piotto, G. Meylan, G. Djorgovski, M. Riello, ASP Conference series.
astro-ph/0210582.

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Abstract. I briefly review models for the formation of globular cluster (GC) systems, and summarize the observational properties (i.e., formation efficiencies, metallicity distributions, kinematics and ages) of the GC systems of M87 and M49: two thoroughly-studied elliptical galaxies. Many of the properties of the metal-poor GCs in these and other galaxies appear to be consistent with their formation in low-mass proto-galactic fragments, as proposed by several different formation models. A number of outstanding questions concerning the formation of the metal-rich GCs in these galaxies are highlighted.

Table of Contents

• INTRODUCTION
• FORMATION SCENARIOS
• Pre-galactic
• Proto-galactic
• Post-galactic
• THE GLOBULAR CLUSTER SYSTEMS OF M87 AND M49 COMPARED
• CONCLUSIONS
• REFERENCES