Bombing of Frankfurt am Main by the Allies of World War II killed about 5,500 residents and destroyed the largest medieval city centre in Germany (the Eighth Air Force dropped 12,197 tons of explosives on the city).In the 1939-45 period the Royal Air Force (RAF) dropped 15,696 long tons of bombs on Frankfurt.Post-war reconstruction generally used modern architecture, and a few landmark buildings were rebuilt in a simple historical style. The 1st building rebuilt was the 1789 Paulskirche (English: St. Paul's Church).