Debt Of The Operating Partnership (Unsecured Senior Notes) (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)						12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 18, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012 Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Unsecured Senior Notes [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Unsecured Senior Notes [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Nov. 03, 2011 Unsecured Senior Notes [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Prudential Shelf Facility [Member] Unsecured Senior Notes [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Jul. 24, 2011 Prudential Shelf Facility [Member] Unsecured Senior Notes [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Dec. 08, 2010 Prudential Shelf Facility [Member] Unsecured Senior Notes [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Dec. 07, 2010 Prudential Shelf Facility [Member] Unsecured Senior Notes [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Jan. 10, 2010 Prudential Shelf Facility [Member] Unsecured Senior Notes [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Series D [Member] Unsecured Senior Notes [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Jan. 10, 2010 Series D [Member] Unsecured Senior Notes [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Series E [Member] Unsecured Senior Notes [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Jan. 10, 2010 Series E [Member] Unsecured Senior Notes [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Series F [Member] Unsecured Senior Notes [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Feb. 03, 2010 Series F [Member] Unsecured Senior Notes [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Jul. 25, 2011 Series A [Member] Unsecured Senior Notes [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Jul. 31, 2008 Series A [Member] Unsecured Senior Notes [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Nov. 30, 2008 Series B [Member] Unsecured Senior Notes [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Jan. 31, 2009 Series C [Member] Unsecured Senior Notes [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Debt of the Operating Partnership [Line Items]
Issuance date						Jan. 20, 2010									Feb. 03, 2010
Senior face amount					$ 50,000,000			$ 250,000,000	$ 200,000,000	$ 100,000,000		$ 50,000,000		$ 50,000,000		$ 17,000,000		$ 25,000,000	$ 33,000,000	$ 25,000,000
Interest rate	4.25%											4.57%		5.73%		4.50%	7.00%
Debt instrument, maturity period											5 years		7 years		5 years
Unissued amount							50,000,000
Repaid amount																	25,000,000
Balance outstanding		4,288,802,000	175,000,000	175,000,000
Debt Instrument Carrying Amount		$ 4,288,802,000	$ 175,000,000	$ 175,000,000