Prè

.pr is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Puerto Rico. A .pr.us second-level domain has been reserved for Puerto Rico under the .us locality namespace, but it is unused. Agencies of the government of Puerto Rico use either .gov.pr or, more recently, subdomains of pr.gov, where the main government portal is located. In March 2010, National Public Radio launched a URL shortener using the domain hack "n.pr". The domain is occasionally used by public relations firms.

Prè (pron. ) is a neighbourhood in the old town of the Italian city of Genoa. It was one of the six sestieri of ancient Genoa. At present it is part of Municipio I (Centro Est) of Great Genoa. Located close to the old harbour, it is likely the best-known neighbourhood of the old town of Genoa. ==History== The first settlements in the area date back to the second half of 12th century, when outside of the "Saint Faith Gate" (now called "Vacca's Gate") of the "Barbarossa" walls some buildings were built to assist travelers along the road leading from the city to the west. Included were several hospitals, founded by religious orders to offer accommodation and assistance to Crusaders, pilgrims, and merchants who were traveling from the port of Genoa to the Holy Land and the East. The best known of these was the Commandery of St. John of Prè, of the Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, or Knights Hospitaller, built in 1180. In the same period, dockyards for repairing ships were built in the near port, in the same place where two centuries later would be established the main base of the Genoese Navy. This first port terminal gave an economic boost to the development of the neighbourhood. In 1347, the whole neighborhood was enclosed into the city walls, by building a new section of walls on the north-west side. During the 17th century the noble families of Balbi and Durazzo built, upstream the neighbourhood some luxurious palaces along a new wide street, Strada Balbi. In the 19th century another important road was opened, Carlo Alberto road, suitable for transit of wagons coming to and from the port and in 1860 the Genoa Principe railway station was completed in the north west area of Prè. In the 20th century, when the business centre of Genoa moved from the old town to De Ferrari Square, a period of decline began for Prè, and after World War II some areas were populated by petty criminals who earned their living by cigarette smuggling, prostitution and receiving stolen goods. During the seventies the alleys of Prè became a centre of narcotics smuggling, managed before by Italian mafias and later by non-EU immigrants, causing the abandonment by most of the original inhabitants and the consequent degradation of buildings. Today, after many years of decline also these areas of the neighbourhood are showing signs of recovery. ===Places of Worship=== ==References== ==Bibliography==

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