Taylor Swift greeted with grand gesture as German city names itself 'Swiftkirchen' ahead of Eras Tour

GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY: In a nod to Taylor Swift's upcoming Eras Tour, the city of Gelsenkirchen in western Germany is embracing a temporary name change to 'Swiftkirchen,' as reported by PEOPLE.

The decision to rename Gelsenkirchen was sparked by a passionate fan, Aleshanee Westhoff, who initiated a petition proposing the tribute.

Gelsenkirchen temporarily becomes 'Swiftkirchen' ahead of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour

Gelsenkirchen Mayor Karin Welge approved the renaming ahead of Swift's scheduled performances in the city from July 17 to July 19.

Mayor Welge expressed her enthusiasm for the idea, stating, "It's a great idea to temporarily rename Gelsenkirchen to 'Swiftkirchen.'"

She highlighted the excitement of witnessing this unique event firsthand, underscoring the city's readiness to host Swift and her fans.

Markus Schwardtmann, head of Gelsenkirchen's public relations department, confirmed extensive preparations for the event, including the installation of numerous signs across prominent locations in the city.

Additional festivities include the introduction of a "Taylor Swift tram" by Bogestra, the local public transport, and the addition of a commemorative stone on the city's Walk of Fame.

Welge emphasized the significance of Swift's performances for Gelsenkirchen, describing her as "currently the most successful singer in the world," which she believes will bring international attention to the city.

Ahead of the concerts, Gelsenkirchen will host "Taylor Town," a large open-air party featuring various activities such as a swap market, karaoke sessions, and Swift-themed tattoos. Schwardtmann promised surprises for Swifties to discover throughout the event.

This initiative follows similar tributes in other cities, such as Glendale, Arizona, and Santa Clara, California, where Swift's concerts prompted temporary renamings to "Swift City" and "Swiftie Clara," respectively.

Taylor Swift's Eras Tour kicks off in Amsterdam at the Johan Cruijff Arena from July 4 to July 6 before making its highly anticipated stop in Swiftkirchen.

Swifties elated as Gelsenkirchen changes name to 'Swiftkirchen' for Taylor Swift's Eras Tour

Gelsenkirchen, Germany, has garnered attention worldwide by renaming itself "Swiftkirchen" ahead of Taylor Swift's highly anticipated Eras Tour stop in the city.

The decision to temporarily rename Gelsenkirchen was met with enthusiasm from both locals and international fans alike.

One supporter commented online, "It is great to see Taylor being appreciated for her amazing talent in creating great music with her beautiful melodic voice, very poetic lyrics, and amazing guitar and piano work. She is such a great person and role model for her fans that it is very hard not to love her."

Another echoed the sentiment, stating, "She deserves everything she has including naming a city after her. Great person."

A user expressed admiration for the widespread recognition of Swift's impact, noting, "I love how countries, states, and cities love her and honor her so much and they do things like this and painting murals, putting that back thing on the beach in Dublin etc.. it’s just so beautiful."

One user humorously suggesting, "America should change its name also."

"That’s wonderful and so deserving!" Another user wrote.

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