Income Per Unit (Schedule of Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation of Earnings Per Share) (Details) - shares	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	20,118,783	21,429,247	22,000,089
Potentially dilutive 2029 Debentures
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	0	1,957,963	6,649,510
Series D Preferred Stock and Unit
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	0	0	470,748
Series E Preferred Stock and Unit
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	4,301,438	4,956,175	5,176,886
Series F Preferred Stock and Unit
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	2,727,962	3,143,195	3,283,169
Series G Preferred Stock and Unit
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	3,730,042	4,297,805	3,898,376
Series H Preferred Stock and Unit
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	5,465,987	4,320,495	0
Series I Preferred Stock and Unit
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	1,235,063	0	0
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	17,460,492	18,675,633	19,478,689
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Potentially dilutive 2029 Debentures
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	0	1,957,963	6,649,510
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Series D Preferred Stock and Unit
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	0	0	470,748
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Series E Preferred Stock and Unit
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	4,301,438	4,956,175	5,176,886
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Series F Preferred Stock and Unit
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	2,727,962	3,143,195	3,283,169
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Series G Preferred Stock and Unit
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	3,730,042	4,297,805	3,898,376
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Series H Preferred Stock and Unit
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	5,465,987	4,320,495	0
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Series I Preferred Stock and Unit
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	1,235,063	0	0