Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (7.375% Series H Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Units Narrative) (Details) - Series H Preferred Stock and Unit - $ / shares				12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Apr. 07, 2014	Mar. 26, 2014	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Preferred stock, dividend rate			7.375%	7.375%	7.375%
Annual rate of dividend per share (in dollars per unit)			$ 1.84375	$ 1.84375
Preferred Stock, liquidation preference per share/unit (in dollars per unit)			$ 25	25	$ 25
Preferred stock dividends per share declared (in dollars per share)	$ 0.48655
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)		14,600,000		14,600,000	14,600,000
Preferred stock, dividend rate		7.375%		7.375%	7.375%
Annual rate of dividend per share (in dollars per unit)		$ 1.84375		$ 1.844
Preferred Stock, liquidation preference per share/unit (in dollars per unit)		$ 25		25	$ 25
Preferred stock dividends per share declared (in dollars per share)	$ 0.48655
Preferred stock, redemption price per share (in dollars per unit)				$ 25.00