German city, Taylor Swift’s tour stop, welcomes hype and new temporary name

BERLIN — The Swifties are about to take over the German city formerly known as Gelsenkirchen, where American superstar Taylor Swift is scheduled to perform three concerts on her Eras tour later this month.

In honor of the singer, the city has renamed itself “Swiftkirchen” — at least temporarily — to accommodate the tens of thousands of fans expected to attend her concerts from July 17 to 19, German news agency dpa reported.

A yellow sign bearing the town’s new name, which roughly translates to “Swift’s Church,” was unveiled this week by Swift fan Aleshanee Westhoff, who suggested the name to the town’s mayor and started a petition a few weeks ago. Mayor Karin Welge thanked the teenager for her “great idea” in a letter accepting the proposal.

The Swiftie billboard, adorned with a pink portrait of the pop icon, is located in the city centre. Further billboards “at busy locations in Gelsenkirchen” will be installed in the coming days, city spokesman Markus Schwardtmann told dpa.

Gelsenkirchen, one of Germany’s poorest cities, is a former mining town that has never recovered from the decline of its main industry. The Ruhr city is known for its soccer team and its huge stadium that occasionally attracts international artists like Swift.

And there’s still plenty to come in Swiftie Town in Germany.

The American singer will also receive her own tombstone on the Gelsenkirchen Walk of Fame, alongside local figures such as football coach Rudi Assauer and writer Ilse Kibgis. During her concerts, the city will host open-air parties with karaoke performances. A “Taylor Swift tram” is already in operation, dpa reported.

Further attractions for fans are planned, but they are being kept under wraps for now. “There will be lots of small and big surprises, so Swifties will have a lot to discover in Gelsenkirchen,” said Schwardtmann.

Swift’s concerts in Gelsenkirchen are sold out and will take place at the Veltins-Arena at Schalke Stadium, which can accommodate up to 70,000 Swifties. Further concerts of the Eras tour are planned in Hamburg and Munich.