Represents the denomination of the principal amount of debt that is used in conversion calculations.

No definition available.

Name:	dlr_DebtInstrumentPrincipalAmountDenominationForRedemptionOfNotes
Namespace Prefix:	dlr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents information pertaining to accrued and unpaid interest over denomination.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dlr_DebtInstrumentRedemptionAccruedAndUnpaidInterestPerDenomination
Namespace Prefix:	dlr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Price per $1000 of original principal amount of debt at which debt can be redeemed by the issuer.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dlr_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPricePerThousandDollars
Namespace Prefix:	dlr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=119993939&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775985&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage of principal amount of debt redeemed.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPricePercentageOfPrincipalAmountRedeemed
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Difference between the fair value of payments made and the carrying amount of debt which is extinguished prior to maturity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 50
-Section 40
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117329964&loc=d3e12355-112629

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 50
-Section 40
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117329964&loc=d3e12317-112629

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainsLossesOnExtinguishmentOfDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The percentage rate used to calculate dividend payments on preferred stock.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PreferredStockDividendRatePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The price per share at which the preferred stock of an entity that has priority over common stock in the distribution of dividends and in the event of liquidation of the entity is redeemed or may be called at. The redemption features of this preferred stock are solely within the control of the issuer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109259400&loc=d3e21488-112644

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109259400&loc=d3e21475-112644

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 11
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109259400&loc=d3e21564-112644

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PreferredStockRedemptionPricePerShare
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of preferred units outstanding.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 4.F)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120397183&loc=d3e187171-122770

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PreferredUnitsOutstanding
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The excess of the (1) fair value of consideration transferred to the holders of a security in excess of (2) the carrying amount of the security reported on the registrant's balance sheet, which will be deducted from net earnings to derive net earnings available to common shareholders. This amount is generally an adjustment considered in the computation of earnings per share.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RedemptionPremium
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Per share or per unit amount of equity securities issued.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharesIssuedPricePerShare
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Detail information of subsequent event by type. User is expected to use existing line items from elsewhere in the taxonomy as the primary line items for this disclosure, which is further associated with dimension and member elements pertaining to a subsequent event.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=dlr_SeriesIPreferredStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PreferredUnitsByNameAxis=dlr_SeriesGPreferredUnitsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dlr_ThreePointSevenFiveZeroNotesDue2023Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Subsequent Events (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Oct. 14, 2020 USD ($)	Sep. 15, 2020 USD ($) $ / shares	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($) shares	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($) shares	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Oct. 15, 2020 shares	Oct. 14, 2020 EUR (€)
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Loss from early extinguishment of debt \| $			$ (53,007)	$ (5,366)	$ (53,639)	$ (39,157)
Preferred Units, Outstanding \| shares			38,250,000		38,250,000
Potentially dilutive Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Dividend rate percentage		5.875%
Preferred stock, redemption price per share (in dollars per share) \| $ / shares		$ 25.0577118
Shares Issued, Price Per Share \| $ / shares		$ 25.00
Redemption Premium \| $		$ 8,500
Subsequent Event
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Loss from early extinguishment of debt \| $	$ 49,800
Subsequent Event \| Series G Preferred Units
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Preferred Units, Outstanding \| shares							10,000,000.0
Subsequent Event \| 4.750% Notes due 2023
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Debt face amount								€ 300,000,000
Stated interest rate								4.75%
Redemption price								€ 1,123.25
Denomination of principal amount for redemption								1,000
Percentage of aggregate principal amount of notes redeemed	112.325%
Accrued and unpaid interest								€ 0.13