Organization and Business (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 30, 1996	Jan. 05, 1996 IPO	Dec. 30, 1996 Class A Units	Dec. 30, 1996 Class B Units	Mar. 31, 2013 Fund VIII-IX Associates	Mar. 31, 2013 Fund VIII-IX Associates Wells Real Estate Fund VIII, L.P.	Mar. 31, 2012 Fund IX-X-XI-REIT Associates		Mar. 31, 2012 Fund IX-X-XI-REIT Associates Wells Real Estate Fund X, L.P.		Mar. 31, 2012 Fund IX-X-XI-REIT Associates Wells Real Estate Fund XI, L.P.		Mar. 31, 2012 Fund IX-X-XI-REIT Associates Piedmont Operating Partnership, L.P.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Value of authorized limited partnership units		$ 35,000,000
Value per unit of authorized limited partnership units (in dollars per unit)		10.00
Sold partnership units (in units)			2,935,931	564,069
Proceeds from issuance of limited partners units	$ 35,000,000
Ownership in joint venture (percent)					45.20%	54.80%	39.00%	[1]	48.50%	[1]	8.80%	[1]	3.70%	[1]

[1] This joint venture wound up its affairs in 2011 and was terminated in the first quarter of 2012.