The Swifties are about to take over the German city formerly known as Gelsenkirchen, where American superstar Taylor Swift is set to perform three Eras Tour concerts later this month. In honor of the singer, the city has temporarily renamed itself “Swiftkirchen” to welcome the tens of thousands of fans expected to attend her shows on July 17, 18, and 19, as reported by the German news agency dpa.
A yellow city sign with the new name—translating roughly to “Swift’s Church”—was unveiled on Tuesday by Swift fan Aleshanee Westhoff, who proposed the name to the city’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 sign, featuring a pink portrait of the pop icon, is located in the city center. Additional signs will be placed at highly frequented locations in Gelsenkirchen in the coming days, according to city spokesman Markus Schwardtmann.
Gelsenkirchen, one of Germany’s poorest cities and a former coal mining town, is known for its soccer team and a massive stadium that occasionally hosts international entertainers like Swift. The city’s transformation into “Swiftkirchen” includes more fan attractions.
Taylor Swift will receive her own stone on the Gelsenkirchen Walk of Fame, joining local notables such as soccer coach Rudi Assauer and writer Ilse Kibgis. During her concerts, the city will host open-air parties with karaoke performances. A “Taylor Swift streetcar” is already in operation, dpa reported.
Additional fan attractions are being planned but kept secret for now. “There will be lots of big and small surprises so that the Swifties have plenty to discover in Gelsenkirchen,” Schwardtmann said.
Swift’s concerts in Gelsenkirchen are sold out and will take place at the Veltins-Arena on Schalke stadium, which can accommodate up to 70,000 Swifties. Further Eras Tour shows are planned for Hamburg and Munich.
