The Körnerplatz in its present form developed from an old village centre at the end of the 19th century. Numerous half-timbered houses still characterise the original development; a number of multi-storey residential buildings from the Wilhelminian period have been added. On the ground floor there are mostly shops - often handicrafts or arts and crafts, luxury food, book and music shops. The area around the Blaue Wunder is a traditional trading centre and today a popular shopping district outside the city centre. Dresdeners and tourists alike appreciate the Loschwitz district, of which Körnerplatz is a part, as a destination for excursions. To this day, Loschwitz is considered an artists' quarter: the Kunsthaus Dresden is located here and the Loschwitz cemetery bears the names of famous painters, musicians and writers who once settled in the villa quarter.

Opposite is the Blasewitz district with the equally famous Schillerplatz.