One of the world's greatest churches is in 'grave danger'. The floor is sinking under St Mark's Basilica and the Church. Proffessor Eugenio Bacchion, a scholar and Chief Superintendent of St Mark's claims the 1966 Venice floods have weakend the foundations of the famed 11th century Venetian Cathedral and serious damage has already occured from the sinking of the floor. A corner of the so called 'Door of Flowers' on the left side of the church has given way and the base of the column has shifted. On the facade, a section which supports arches to two of the Cathedral's five doors, has broken causing damage to the ornaments on the arches. 'It musn't be thought that the entire Basilica is suddenly endagered, but the damages are both inside and outside the church are a real cause of alarm' said Bacchion. The great Byzantine styled church, built when Venice was at the height of its power as an independent state, is the chief adornment of the historic lagoon city and one of the most richly decorated churchs in the world. Engineers and experts now have the church under 'continous' surveillance and workmen are injecting cement into the foundations to try and strengthen it. An appeal has also been made to Italian Government authorities for a 'massive intervention' to help save St Marks. 4 May 1968