Dresden is the economic, political and cultural center of the Free State of Saxony and is internationally known for the opera house Semperoper and the Frauenkirche, which was reconstructed between 1994 and 2005 after suffering from severe war damages. The positive population development - with currently a total population of about 540,000 – contradicts the general Saxon trend. One of the reasons for this is that the city has become more and more popular with students and young professionals since the 1990s. The historical center of Dresden underwent extensive modernization after the fall of the Iron Curtain and now impressively stretches along the bank of the River Elbe. The football club of the city, Dynamo Dresden, is famous for its loyal and avid fans. The Dresden International Airport has been continuously converted during the past few years and is now recording nearly 2 million passengers per year. The airport, which is located in the north, can be reached by car in only 15 minutes.