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Haus zum Cavazzen is the name of a famous building in Lindau. More info here: http://www.kultur-lindau.de/museum/der-cavazzen/

But what does this name mean, and why zum is used together with what seems to be a proper name?

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From archiform.net:

[...] er­hielt sei­nen Namen nach der Fa­mi­lie de Ka­watz (auch de Ca­vazz), die von 1540 bis 1617 Be­sit­zer des spät­go­ti­schen Vor­gän­ger­baus ge­we­sen war.

English:

[...] was named after the family "de Kawatz" (also "de Cavazz"), which was in posession of the preceding late Gothic construction from 1540 to 1617.

 
The use of "zum" ("zur" for feminine supplements)

This was a usual way to make buildings (or establishments within) unique by giving them a patron or symbol, i.e. to name them.

Classic examples:

  • Gasthaus zur weißen Rose
  • Apotheke zum heiligen Petrus
  • Irgendwas zum roten Stier

A maybe related example would be the U.S. Ambassador to the holy See.

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  • But if the name comes from "de Cavazz", why is there the "-en" at the end of "Cavazzen"?
    – user8945
    Commented Jul 21, 2014 at 18:47
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    @user8945 That's due to (dialectal) declension.
    – user6191
    Commented Jul 21, 2014 at 18:51
  • Do you know maybe in what dialects this happens?
    – user8945
    Commented Jul 21, 2014 at 18:53
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    Wouldn't know by heart, my guess would be Bavarian/Austrian - but that's material for a whole new question.
    – user6191
    Commented Jul 21, 2014 at 18:56
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    Probably I should have written historical declension.
    – user6191
    Commented Jul 21, 2014 at 18:58
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Der Name „Cavazzen“ wird entweder auf die „Kawertschen“ zurückgeführt – Geldverleiher aus der Lombardei, die sich zwischen 1286 und 1375 auch in Lindau nachweisen lassen – oder auf die Familie von Kawatz, die seit 1553 im Umkreis des Anwesens begütert gewesen war.

The proper name "Cavazzen" led back either to some money lender called "Kawertschen" from Lombardy who established between 1286 and 1375 in Lindau or to a family called "von Kawatz" who lived there since 1553 in the locality of that building.

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  • While certainly interesting as trivia this does nothing to answer the question at hand. This downvote is meant as encouragement to improve the answer:)
    – Vogel612
    Commented Jul 21, 2014 at 17:52

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