Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Basic Earnings:
Net income attributable to Boston Properties, Inc. common shareholders	$ 79,460	$ 76,527	$ 250,694	$ 130,594
Net income attributable to Boston Properties Inc. common shareholders (in shares)	153,450	153,078	153,341	153,054
Net income attributable to Boston Properties Inc. common shareholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.52	$ 0.50	$ 1.63	$ 0.85
Allocation of undistributed earnings to participating securities			$ (141)
Allocation of undistributed earnings to participating securities (in shares)			0
Allocation of undistributed earnings to participating securities(per share)			$ 0
Net income attributable to Boston Properties, Inc. common shareholders			$ 250,553
Net income attributable to Boston Properties Inc. common shareholders (in shares)			153,341
Net income attributable to Boston Properties Inc.. common shareholders (in dollars per share)			$ 1.63
Effect of Dilutive Securities:
Stock Based Compensation, Income (Numerator)	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Stock Based Compensation, Shares (Denominator)	365	160	504	149
Stock Based Compensation, Per Share Amount (in dollars per share)	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00
Diluted Earnings:
Diluted Earnings: Net income, Income (Numerator)	$ 79,460	$ 76,527	$ 250,553	$ 130,594
Diluted Earnings: Net income, Shares (Denominator)	153,815	153,238	153,845	153,203
Diluted Earnings: Net income, Per Share Amount (in dollars per share)	$ 0.52	$ 0.50	$ 1.63	$ 0.85