Thousands of Taylor Swift fans vie for top spot to watch concert for free

Fans packed the grassy hill with so many people that from a distance the scene looked like an anthill

Fans sit on the Olympiaberg and wait in the sunshine for the Taylor Swift concert to begin, in Munich, Germany ((c) Copyright 2024, dpa (www.dpa.de). Alle Rechte vorbehalten)

Thousands of Taylor Swift fans managed to watch her gig in Munich after swarming a nearby hill to the concert.

On Saturday, they braved the heat, which reached 31 Celsius (88 Fahrenheit) and claimed their spots on a grassy hill near the concert venue hours before it began.

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.

Police estimated that about 25,000 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 from a distance the scene looked like an anthill.

Fans sit on the Olympiaberg and wait in the sunshine for the Taylor Swift concert to begin, in Munich, Germany ((c) Copyright 2024, dpa (www.dpa.de). Alle Rechte vorbehalten)

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.

Meanwhile, the popstar has loaned outfits, musical instruments and other objects to go on display at London’s V&A in a temporary summer exhibition.

Taylor Swift performs on stage as part of her Eras Tour in Lisbon on May 24 (AFP via Getty Images)

Titled “Taylor Swift | Songbook Trail” the exhibition is made up of 13 installations dotted across the museum’s many galleries.

“It’s a journey around the museum,” curator Kate Bailey said.

“It follows chapters in Taylor Swift‘s career and we highlight the eras and showcase objects and looks worn by Taylor across the different spaces in the museum.”

Bailey and her team were given access to Swift‘s personal archives to pick items for the theatrically staged installations, which are placed in carefully chosen galleries that connect to moments in the 14-time Grammy winner’s career.

Among the objects on show are customised cowboy boots worn by a young Swift at the start of her career; the wig and facial hair she sported in “The Man” music video; reproductions of the hand-drawn storyboards for the “Willow” music video and a golden microphone with snake detail used by Swift, now 34, on the “Reputation” stadium tour.

Also on display are the ukulele played by Swift on the “Speak Now” world tour and the fisherman cap she wore on the “Red (Taylor‘s Version)” album cover.