Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Cash Flows (USD $)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 264,782,000	$ 160,152,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Gain on insurance settlement	(5,597,000)
Gain on contribution of investment properties to unconsolidated joint venture	(115,054,000)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures	(6,839,000)	(6,402,000)
Change in fair value of accrued contingent consideration	(13,000)
Distributions from unconsolidated joint ventures	27,675,000	18,573,000
Write-off of net assets due to early lease terminations	56,000	1,260,000
Depreciation and amortization of buildings and improvements, tenant improvements and acquired ground leases	291,707,000	226,739,000
Amortization of share-based unearned compensation	9,344,000	9,922,000
Allowance for (recovery of) doubtful accounts	1,660,000	(74,000)
Amortization of deferred financing costs	7,733,000	6,341,000
Write-off of deferred financing costs, included in loss on early extinguishment of debt	1,205,000	254,000
Amortization of debt discount/premium	530,000	748,000
Amortization of acquired in place lease value and deferred leasing costs	56,981,000	48,096,000
Amortization of acquired above market leases and acquired below market leases, net	(8,831,000)	(7,443,000)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Restricted cash	2,487,000	6,866,000
Accounts and other receivables	(11,601,000)	(52,851,000)
Deferred rent	(60,802,000)	(55,772,000)
Deferred leasing costs	(16,604,000)	(13,206,000)
Other assets	(9,355,000)	(13,107,000)
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	13,304,000	(7,194,000)
Security deposits and prepaid rents	11,312,000	33,634,000
Net cash provided by operating activities	454,080,000	356,536,000
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of real estate	(154,801,000)	(1,451,598,000)
Proceeds from contribution of investment properties to unconsolidated joint venture	328,569,000
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	(7,297,000)	(37,069,000)
Investment in equity securities	(17,100,000)
Deposits paid for acquisitions of real estate	(2,250,000)	(500,000)
Receipt of value added tax refund	8,326,000	15,272,000
Refundable value added tax paid	(11,805,000)	(17,611,000)
Change in restricted cash	(1,292,000)	3,227,000
Improvements to and advances for investments in real estate	(882,346,000)	(596,644,000)
Improvement advances to tenants	(5,108,000)	(2,384,000)
Proceeds from insurance settlements	8,625,000
Collection of advances from tenants for improvements	3,978,000	2,379,000
Net cash used in investing activities	(732,501,000)	(2,084,928,000)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayments on other secured loan		(10,500,000)
Principal payments on mortgage loans	(109,661,000)	(162,548,000)
Earnout payment related to Sentrum acquisition	(25,783,000)
Change in restricted cash	498,000	2,011,000
Payment of loan fees and costs	(17,441,000)	(8,859,000)
Capital contributions received from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures	399,000	2,323,000
Gross proceeds from the issuance of common stock		894,221,000
Gross proceeds from the issuance of preferred stock	250,000,000	182,500,000
Common stock offering costs paid	(553,000)	(34,310,000)
Preferred stock offering costs paid	(8,489,000)	(6,429,000)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	230,000	4,173,000
Payment of dividends/distributions to preferred stockholders/unitholders	(31,179,000)	(28,921,000)
Payment of dividends/distributions to common stockholders/unitholders and distributions to noncontrolling interests in operating partnership	(400,953,000)	(334,430,000)
Purchase of noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures		(12,384,000)
Net cash provided by financing activities	277,258,000	1,763,876,000
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(1,163,000)	35,484,000
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	56,281,000	40,631,000
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	55,118,000	76,115,000
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, including amounts capitalized	159,746,000	135,840,000
Cash paid for income taxes	1,947,000	2,045,000
Supplementary disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities:
Change in net assets related to foreign currency translation adjustments	(6,190,000)	36,286,000
Increase in accounts payable and other accrued liabilities related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps	3,175,000	(6,794,000)
Acquisition measurement period adjustment included in accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	21,893,000
Noncontrolling interests in operating partnership redeemed for or converted to shares of common stock	452,000	4,898,000
Preferred stock/units converted to shares of common stock/units	119,348,000	169,239,000
Accrual for additions to investments in real estate and tenant improvement advances included in accounts payable and accrued expenses	224,902,000	240,310,000
Additional accrual of contingent purchase price for investments in real estate	6,214,000	87,532,000
Allocation of purchase price of real estate/investment in partnership to:
Investments in real estate	143,033,000	1,336,127,000
Acquired above market leases	203,000	44,402,000
Acquired below market leases	(4,136,000)	(80,604,000)
Acquired in place lease value and deferred leasing costs	15,701,000	158,563,000
Mortgage loans assumed, net of premium		(6,890,000)
Cash paid for acquisition of real estate	154,801,000	1,451,598,000
3.625% Notes Due 2022 [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on unsecured senior notes		296,052,000
4.25% Notes Due 2025 [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on unsecured senior notes	630,026,000
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	264,782,000	160,152,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Gain on insurance settlement	(5,597,000)
Gain on contribution of investment properties to unconsolidated joint venture	(115,054,000)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures	(6,839,000)	(6,402,000)
Change in fair value of accrued contingent consideration	(13,000)
Distributions from unconsolidated joint ventures	27,675,000	18,573,000
Write-off of net assets due to early lease terminations	56,000	1,260,000
Depreciation and amortization of buildings and improvements, tenant improvements and acquired ground leases	291,707,000	226,739,000
Amortization of share-based unearned compensation	9,344,000	9,922,000
Allowance for (recovery of) doubtful accounts	1,660,000	(74,000)
Amortization of deferred financing costs	7,733,000	6,341,000
Write-off of deferred financing costs, included in loss on early extinguishment of debt	1,205,000	254,000
Amortization of debt discount/premium	530,000	748,000
Amortization of acquired in place lease value and deferred leasing costs	56,981,000	48,096,000
Amortization of acquired above market leases and acquired below market leases, net	(8,831,000)	(7,443,000)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Restricted cash	2,487,000	6,866,000
Accounts and other receivables	(11,601,000)	(52,851,000)
Deferred rent	(60,802,000)	(55,772,000)
Deferred leasing costs	(16,604,000)	(13,206,000)
Other assets	(9,355,000)	(13,107,000)
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	13,304,000	(7,194,000)
Security deposits and prepaid rents	11,312,000	33,634,000
Net cash provided by operating activities	454,080,000	356,536,000
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of real estate	(154,801,000)	(1,451,598,000)
Proceeds from contribution of investment properties to unconsolidated joint venture	328,569,000
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	(7,297,000)	(37,069,000)
Investment in equity securities	(17,100,000)
Deposits paid for acquisitions of real estate	(2,250,000)	(500,000)
Receipt of value added tax refund	8,326,000	15,272,000
Refundable value added tax paid	(11,805,000)	(17,611,000)
Change in restricted cash	(1,292,000)	3,227,000
Improvements to and advances for investments in real estate	(882,346,000)	(596,644,000)
Improvement advances to tenants	(5,108,000)	(2,384,000)
Proceeds from insurance settlements	8,625,000
Collection of advances from tenants for improvements	3,978,000	2,379,000
Net cash used in investing activities	(732,501,000)	(2,084,928,000)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayments on other secured loan		10,500,000
Principal payments on mortgage loans	(109,661,000)	(162,548,000)
Earnout payment related to Sentrum acquisition	(25,783,000)
Change in restricted cash	(498,000)	(2,011,000)
Payment of loan fees and costs	(17,441,000)	(8,859,000)
Capital contributions received from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures	399,000	2,323,000
General partner contributions	241,188,000	1,040,155,000
Payment of dividends/distributions to preferred stockholders/unitholders	(31,179,000)	(28,921,000)
Payment of dividends/distributions to common stockholders/unitholders and distributions to noncontrolling interests in operating partnership	(400,953,000)	(334,430,000)
Purchase of noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures		(12,384,000)
Net cash provided by financing activities	277,258,000	1,763,876,000
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(1,163,000)	35,484,000
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	56,281,000	40,631,000
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	55,118,000	76,115,000
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, including amounts capitalized	159,746,000	135,840,000
Cash paid for income taxes	1,947,000	2,045,000
Supplementary disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities:
Change in net assets related to foreign currency translation adjustments	(6,190,000)	36,286,000
Increase in accounts payable and other accrued liabilities related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps	3,175,000	(6,794,000)
Acquisition measurement period adjustment included in accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	21,893,000
Preferred stock/units converted to shares of common stock/units	119,348,000	169,239,000
Accrual for additions to investments in real estate and tenant improvement advances included in accounts payable and accrued expenses	224,902,000	240,310,000
Additional accrual of contingent purchase price for investments in real estate	6,214,000	87,532,000
Allocation of purchase price of real estate/investment in partnership to:
Investments in real estate	143,033,000	1,336,127,000
Acquired above market leases	203,000	44,402,000
Acquired below market leases	(4,136,000)	(80,604,000)
Acquired in place lease value and deferred leasing costs	15,701,000	158,563,000
Mortgage loans assumed, net of premium		(6,890,000)
Cash paid for acquisition of real estate	154,801,000	1,451,598,000
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member] | 3.625% Notes Due 2022 [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on unsecured senior notes		296,052,000
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member] | 4.25% Notes Due 2025 [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on unsecured senior notes	630,026,000
Global Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on lines of credit	1,292,146,000	1,500,520,000
Repayments on revolving credit facility	(1,497,317,000)	(1,271,528,000)
Global Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on lines of credit	1,292,146,000	1,500,520,000
Repayments on revolving credit facility	(1,497,317,000)	(1,271,528,000)
Unsecured Term Loan [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on lines of credit	195,335,000	751,985,000
Unsecured Term Loan [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on unsecured senior notes	$ 195,335,000	$ 751,985,000