TAYLOR SWIFT HONOURED ON GELSENKIRCHEN'S WALK OF FAME – TEMPORARILY

GELSENKIRCHEN (Germany), July 16 (Bernama-dpa) -- The western German city of Gelsenkirchen has honoured Taylor Swift with a paving stone on its Walk of Fame, reported German news agency (dpa). 

The singer-songwriter, who joins figures such as the Schalke football legend Rudi Assauer and the author Ilse Kibgis, is being honoured ahead of the three concerts she will perform in the Ruhr city on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings. 

The floor plaque was unveiled by Mayor Karin Welge at a ceremony on Tuesday. "We said we would have three great Swiftie days here in Gelsenkirchen," said Welge, "because if there's one thing she's proven to have it's fame."

Until now Gelsenkirchen's Walk of Fame has been reserved for personalities from the city, but an exception is being made for megastar Swift. It is, however, just a temporary exception – the stone will be removed after the three concerts of her Eras Tour.

The paving slab in Swift's honour is one of the many attractions with which Gelsenkirchen is welcoming the singer's fans to the city.

When the first Swifties arrive at the train station on Wednesday, they will be greeted by cheerleaders. In addition to the Walk of Fame, there will be other places in the city centre where fans can take photos – for example, on a 90-square-metre 3D image of the star.

The centrepiece of the activities is the open-air party "Taylor Town" with karaoke, a stage programme and a tattoo stand.

Gelsenkirchen, which even renamed itself "Swiftkirchen" for the Swift spectacle, is expecting around 200,000 fans for the three concerts – equivalent to almost four-fifths of the city's population. Further German shows will then take place in Hamburg and Munich.

-- BERNAMA-dpa