v3.20.1

Property, plant and equipment - Carrying Amount (Details) - EUR (€) € in Thousands | Dec. 31, 2019 | Jan. 01, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Property, plant and equipment |  |  |  |
Property, plant and equipment fully owned | € 40,707 |  |  |
Right-of-use assets | 25,345 | € 26,400 |  |
Total property, plant and equipment | € 66,052 |  | € 23,137 | € 16,692

X
- Definition Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of property, plant and equipment total. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | glpg_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentCarryingAmountTotal
Namespace Prefix: | glpg_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of property, plant and equipment fully owned. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | glpg_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentFullyOwned
Namespace Prefix: | glpg_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ifrs-full_DisclosureOfPropertyPlantAndEquipmentAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | ifrs-full_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The amount of assets that represent a lessee's right to use an underlying asset for the lease term. Underlying asset is an asset that is the subject of a lease, for which the right to use that asset has been provided by a lessor to a lessee. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IFRS -Number 16 -IssueDate 2019-01-01 -Paragraph 53 -Subparagraph j -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IFRS&num=16&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_53_j&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2019-03-27 + Details
Name: | ifrs-full_RightofuseAssets
Namespace Prefix: | ifrs-full_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant