Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies Schedule of Tax Treatment Of Common Dividends Per Share For Federal Tax Purposes (Details) - $ / shares		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Jan. 28, 2016	Jan. 28, 2015
Tax Treatment Of Common Dividends Per Share For Federal Tax Purposes [Line Items]
Dividends Payable, Amount Per Share	[1]							$ 1.90
Special dividend (per share amount)								$ 1.25	$ 4.50
Boston Properties, Inc. [Member]
Tax Treatment Of Common Dividends Per Share For Federal Tax Purposes [Line Items]
Special dividend (per share amount)		$ 1.25		$ 4.50		$ 2.25
Dividends Treatment For Federal Tax Purposes, Percentage		100.00%		100.00%		100.00%
Dividends treatment for federal tax purposes.		$ 4.04	[2]	$ 6.82	[3]	$ 4.75	[4]
Boston Properties, Inc. [Member] | Dividend Declared [Member]
Tax Treatment Of Common Dividends Per Share For Federal Tax Purposes [Line Items]
Dividends Payable, Amount Per Share		1.90		5.15		2.90
Boston Properties, Inc. [Member] | non-special dividend [Member]
Tax Treatment Of Common Dividends Per Share For Federal Tax Purposes [Line Items]
Dividends Payable, Amount Per Share		0.65		0.65		0.65
Boston Properties, Inc. [Member] | Allocated to fiscal 2013[Member]
Tax Treatment Of Common Dividends Per Share For Federal Tax Purposes [Line Items]
Dividends Payable, Amount Per Share						2.44
Boston Properties, Inc. [Member] | Allocated to fiscal 2014 [Member]
Tax Treatment Of Common Dividends Per Share For Federal Tax Purposes [Line Items]
Dividends Payable, Amount Per Share				4.41		$ 0.46
Boston Properties, Inc. [Member] | Allocated to fiscal 2015 [Member]
Tax Treatment Of Common Dividends Per Share For Federal Tax Purposes [Line Items]
Dividends Payable, Amount Per Share				$ 0.74
Special dividend (per share amount)		1.35
Boston Properties, Inc. [Member] | Allocated to fiscal 2016 [Member]
Tax Treatment Of Common Dividends Per Share For Federal Tax Purposes [Line Items]
Special dividend (per share amount)		$ 0.55
Boston Properties, Inc. [Member] | Capital Gains Income [Member]
Tax Treatment Of Common Dividends Per Share For Federal Tax Purposes [Line Items]
Dividends Treatment For Federal Tax Purposes, Percentage		42.03%		100.00%		51.29%
Dividends treatment for federal tax purposes.		$ 1.70		$ 6.82		$ 2.44
Boston Properties, Inc. [Member] | Ordinary Income [Member]
Tax Treatment Of Common Dividends Per Share For Federal Tax Purposes [Line Items]
Dividends Treatment For Federal Tax Purposes, Percentage		57.97%		0.00%		48.71%
Dividends treatment for federal tax purposes.		$ 2.34		$ 0.00		$ 2.31

[1] Includes a special dividend/distribution of $1.25 per share/common unit.

[2] The fourth quarter 2015 dividend of $1.90 per common share consists of a $1.25 per common share special dividend and a $0.65 per common share regular quarterly dividend, approximately $1.35 per common share was allocable to 2015 and approximately $0.55 per common share is allocable to 2016.

[3] The fourth quarter 2014 dividend of $5.15 per common share consists of a $4.50 per common share special dividend and a $0.65 per common share regular quarterly dividend, approximately $4.41 per common share was allocable to 2014 and approximately $0.74 per common share is allocable to 2015.

[4] The fourth quarter 2013 dividend of $2.90 per common share consists of a $2.25 per common share special dividend and a $0.65 per common share regular quarterly dividend, approximately $2.44 per common share was allocable to 2013 and approximately $0.46 per common share is allocable to 2014.