Taylor Swift’s fans swarm hill to watch hitmaker’s Germany concert for free

Fans sit on the Olympiaberg and wait in the sunshine for the Taylor Swift concert to begin, in Munich, Germany, Sunday July 28, 2024. Taylor Swift’s first of two concerts in Munich as part of her “The Eras Tour” is taking place. Image: Felix Hörhager/dpa via AP

MUNICH, Germany — Thousands of Taylor Swift fans have gotten free seats at her concerts in Munich on a grassy hill near the concert venue.

The Swifties packed the Olympic Hill, or Olympiaberg, one of the highest elevations in the southern German city, for the second straight day Sunday. That gave them a high perch for watching the singer’s sold-out concert in the nearby Olympic Stadium.

On Saturday, they braved the heat, which reached 31 Celsius (88 Fahrenheit), and claimed their spots hours before the concert began.

Police estimated that about 25,000 people gathered on the hill on Saturday, according to the DPA news agency.

On Sunday, fans returned, once again packing the grassy hill with so many people that the scene looked like an anthill from a distance.

Rather than discourage the free viewings, the concert organizer handed out water and emergency blankets to those waiting to protect themselves from the sun, DPA reported.

Sunday’s concert is Swift’s last in Germany as part of her Eras tour. She heads next to the Polish capital, Warsaw, for three concerts this coming week, from Thursday through Saturday.