German city temporarily changes its name to honor Taylor Swift
As American pop sensation Taylor Swift gears up for her concerts in Germany, the city of Gelsenkirchen has temporarily rechristened itself "Swiftkirchen" in her honor. The renaming anticipates the arrival of tens of thousands of fans for her three Eras Tour concerts scheduled on July 17, 18, and 19. The new name, translating to "Swift's Church," was proposed by fan Aleshanee Westhoff through a petition initiated a few weeks ago.
City mayor and fans celebrate Swift's arrival
Gelsenkirchen's mayor, Karin Welge, expressed gratitude to Westhoff for her "great idea" in a letter acknowledging the proposal. A city sign featuring the new name and a pink portrait of Swift was unveiled by Westhoff in the city center. City spokesman Markus Schwardtmann revealed that more signs will be installed at popular locations throughout Gelsenkirchen in the coming days.
Gelsenkirchen prepares for Swift's concerts with special tributes
Gelsenkirchen, a former coal mining town and allegedly one of Germany's poorest cities, is known for its soccer team and large stadium that occasionally hosts international entertainers like Swift. The concerts will be held at the Veltins-Arena on Schalke stadium, which can accommodate up to 70,000 fans. In addition to the renaming, Gelsenkirchen has planned further tributes including a dedicated stone on the local Walk of Fame and city-hosted open-air parties featuring karaoke performances.
More surprises await Swift fans in Gelsenkirchen
A "Taylor Swift streetcar" is already operational as part of the city's tributes to the pop star. Schwardtmann hinted at additional surprises for fans, stating there would be "lots of big and small surprises so that the Swifties have plenty to discover in Gelsenkirchen." All tickets for Swift's concerts in Gelsenkirchen are sold out, with further Eras Tour shows planned for Hamburg and Munich.
