Yes, Germany is actually renaming a city after Taylor Swift

Before Taylor Swift’s performance on the Eras tour in Gelsenkirchen, the mayor announced that the city would be renamed “Swiftkirchen”.

Ahead of Taylor Swift’s upcoming performances on her Eras tour, the German city of Gelsenkirchen is getting a new, Swift-like name.

On July 2, the mayor of the western German city of Gelsenkirchen, Karin Welge, approved the temporary renaming of the city to “Swiftkirchen” ahead of her Eras tour’s stop in the city from July 17 to 19.

According to a Google-translated press release on the city’s website, the witty tribute was first suggested by fan Aleshanee Westhoff, who started a petition and messaged the mayor about the change.

Related: Nashville Celebrates Taylor Swift’s ‘Homecoming Weekend’ on Tour with Proclamation and Park Bench (Exclusive)

“The temporary renaming of Gelsenkirchen to ‘Swiftkirchen’ is a great idea,” wrote Mayor Welge in a reply to Westhoff, as can be seen from the Google translation from German to English. “I am particularly pleased that you can experience the short-term ‘renaming’ of Gelsenkirchen live and up close in Gelsenkirchen today.”

Markus Schwardtmann, head of the public relations department of the city of Gelsenkirchen, also confirmed that the city “will be putting up numerous additional information signs in busy locations in Gelsenkirchen in the next few days.”

“As mayor, I am of course delighted that Taylor Swift, currently the most successful singer in the world, will be performing three times in Gelsenkirchen,” Welge said in a translated statement on the city’s website. “This means that international attention is once again focused on our city.”

In addition to the name change, the city will also see other Swift-inspired changes, including a “Taylor Swift tram” from Bogestra – the city’s public transport – and a stone that will be placed on the city’s Walk of Fame. Shortly before the show dates, Gelsenkirchen will also host a “big Taylor Swift party in the open air” called “Taylor Town”, which will include “many offers (swap meet, karaoke, tattoos) related to the star”.

“There will be many small and big surprises, so there will be a lot for the Swifties in Gelsenkirchen to discover,” says Schwardtmann.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Related: Pennsylvania state officials declare 2023 the ‘Taylor Swift era’ in the singer’s home state

The German city is not the only one that has pulled out all the stops to welcome the “Bejeweled” singer and the Swifties. Back in March 2023 – at the start of the Eras Tour – the city of Glendale, Arizona was temporarily renamed “Swift City” in honor of her tour stop in the city.

Glendale Mayor Jerry P. Weiers issued the proclamation on March 13, 2023, announcing that the new name would be effective March 17–18, 2023. The city of Santa Clara, California was also renamed “Swiftie Clara” and Swift was named “Honorary Mayor” for her stay in the city in July 2023.

Before her first performance in Gelsenkirchen on July 17, Swift will first stop at the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam from July 4 to 6.

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive more People news!

Read the original article on People.