Galaxy formation in the 21st century

With their complex structure that includes a thin disc, spiral arms, and often a bar, galaxies have been regarded as something beyond the human perceptions. Hence, the studies on galaxy formation in the 20th century have almost exclusively based on schematic scenarios. With markedly improved knowledge on cosmology over the last couple of decades, we have finally acquired a base from which galaxy formation can be studied from the first principles of physics. I review the modern history of the study of galaxy formation and present some preliminary results from the most recent numerical simulations that provide more realistic pictures of galaxy formation than was available ever before. In terms of galaxy formation, the age of scenarios is fading away, while the age of physical understanding is rising over the horizon.