The Impressive Floor Of The Basilica
The design of the marble floor was originally proposed by George Grognet de Vassé himself. It was laid by the Italian master Mariano Spina, assisted by Antonio Galea. The work took two years and was completed in 1911. After the Second World War, the floor required some restoration due to damage caused by the stone debris that fell when a German bomb pierced the dome. The bomb itself did not explode but the violent fall also broke part of the marble tiling. It is of note that design of the church floor was planned to compliment the design of the dome above.