Medellin: Why you should visit the ex-murder capital of the world

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1991 there was 17 murders in Medellin, Colombia, every day, which made it the world's murder capital. Medellin, the hunting area of ​​the infamous drug boss Pablo Escobar, was full of violent crimes and corruption.

You can understand why my family was worried at the time when I told them that I would spend a week there. As if a month was not enough in Colombia to prepare my mother's palpitations, I now visited the once most dangerous city in the world.

Of course, "was" the decisive word here. Medellin has been experiencing a renaissance since the days of Escobar. From appealing art on the Botero Plaza to trendy cafés on El Poblado, Medellin has developed into a vibrant, flowering city with interesting culture and a colorful history.

At the center of his resumer is a fairly prosaic catalyst: the clever and efficient subway system of the city. Opened in 1995, it has become a heartbeat of the city and offers residents a goal for better jobs, interesting social activities and an overall higher quality of life.

There is hardly any doubt for the outsider that the city has blossomed to Escobar, and yet her notorious son divides the opinions. Every resident from a certain age has an opinion about Escobar. He has shaped the city's legacy so indelibly that over 20 years after his death, he is still discussed at the corners and in the Cafés of the streets of Medellin about his legacy.

Some Paisas (native of Medellin) see a bold antihero in Escobar who undermines authority in his attempt to build the most powerful drug empire in the world. Certainly, rebellion and the intentional disregard for rules have something seductive, such as films like the sponsor in which the audience is on the trail of unscrupulous villains.

alt = "Escobar once said:" I would rather have a grave in Colombia than a prison cell in the USA. ""> Atlas & Boots Escobar once said: "I would rather have a grave in Colombia than a prison cell in the USA."

Escobar's already legendary status is only polished up by the fact that he bought houses for entire communities, as residential property for most Colombians was only a dream. He is said to have offered even insolent to pay Colombia's government debt of $ 10 billion in order to escape the crosshair of the judiciary. His greatest fear was the delivery to the USA and its most famous quote: "I would rather have a grave in Colombia than a prison cell in the USA."

Of course, the Godfather-Cum-Robin-Hood figure is only one side of history. Some argue that Escobar is the worst thing about the city. At the height of his rule, over 120 Colombians were murdered every week and up to 15 tons of cocaine were smuggled through the veins of his country every week. Escobar has bled his country to live like a king, his critics claim. He had little consideration of human life and only prayed money, it is said. Even in custody, he lived a life full of pleasure and broke up to build his own luxurious private prison.

Escobar was shot down by the police in 1993 and hardly regrets its crimes. Those affected by his cartel refuse to pronounce his name loudly and instead speak of "Colombia's famous criminal". Hernán, our guide on the Medellin Walking Tour, told us that this happens partly out of fear of public reprisals: "If you pronounce his name towards a tourist, some Paisas may think that they praise him and are angry with them, others may believe him ... and be angry with you."

Both camps, as split, are united in a striving: to show their striving that their city is now safely, thriving and cosmopolitical - not because of blood money, but because of innovative plans by inspired leaders. If Medellin can recover, Colombia can also recover, is the message.

alt = “”> Atlas & Boots Boteros birds: A deformed sculpture stands next to a newer, perfectly shaped counterpart that represents the two stories of Medellin

hernán ended the tour with moving words: "Your parents, your friends, told you that you shouldn't come to Colombia, but you did it. Everyone who comes to Medellin will help Colombia. They are part of our history. They are part of the change in history."

Tour through Medellin: RealcityTours.com, free of charge, but a tip of USD 10 per person is recommended Pablo Escobar Tour: MedellincityServices.com, 40 USD per person

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