Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (5.875% Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Units Narrative) (Details) - Series G Preferred Stock and Unit - $ / shares			12 Months Ended
	Jun. 28, 2013	Apr. 09, 2013	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Preferred stock, dividend rate		5.875%	5.875%	5.875%
Annual rate of dividend per share (in dollars per unit)	$ 0.334550	$ 1.46875	$ 1.46875
Preferred Stock, liquidation preference per share/unit (in dollars per unit)		$ 25	25	$ 25
Preferred stock, redemption price per share (in dollars per unit)			$ 25.00
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Preferred units, issued (in units)		10,000,000	10,000,000	10,000,000
Preferred stock, dividend rate		5.875%	5.875%	5.875%
Annual rate of dividend per share (in dollars per unit)		$ 1.46875	$ 1.469
Preferred Stock, liquidation preference per share/unit (in dollars per unit)		$ 25	25	$ 25
Preferred stock, dividends in arrears per share (in dollars per unit)	$ 0.334550
Preferred stock, redemption price per share (in dollars per unit)			$ 25.00