Consolidated Statements Of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Revenue
Base rent	$ 2,017,767	$ 1,964,732	$ 1,886,339
Recoveries from tenants	358,975	355,508	339,365
Parking and other	100,910	101,981	102,593
Total rental revenue	2,477,652	2,422,221	2,328,297
Hotel revenue	44,884	46,046	43,385
Development and management services	28,284	22,554	25,316
Total revenue	2,550,820	2,490,821	2,396,998
Expenses
Rental	889,768	872,252	835,290
Hotel	31,466	32,084	29,236
General and administrative	105,229	96,319	98,937
Transaction costs	2,387	1,259	3,140
Impairment loss	1,783	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	694,403	639,542	628,573
Total expenses	1,725,036	1,641,456	1,595,176
Operating income	825,784	849,365	801,822
Other income (expense)
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures	8,074	22,770	12,769
Gain on sale of investment in unconsolidated joint venture	59,370	0	0
Interest and other income	7,230	6,777	8,765
Gains (losses) from investments in securities	2,273	(653)	1,038
Interest expense	(412,849)	(432,196)	(455,743)
Losses from early extinguishments of debt	(371)	(22,040)	(10,633)
Losses from interest rate contracts	(140)	0	0
Income before gains on sales of real estate	489,371	424,023	358,018
Gains on sales of real estate	80,606	375,895	168,039
Net income	569,977	799,918	526,057
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests
Noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	2,068	(149,855)	(30,561)
Noncontrolling interest - redeemable preferred units	0	(6)	(1,023)
Noncontrolling interest - common units of the Operating Partnership	(59,260)	(66,951)	(50,862)
Net income attributable to the Company	512,785	583,106	443,611
Preferred dividends / distributions	(10,500)	(10,500)	(10,500)
Net income attributable to the Company's common shareholders / unitholders	$ 502,285	$ 572,606	$ 433,111
Basic earnings per common share / unit attributable to the Company
Net income (in dollars per share / unit)	$ 3.27	$ 3.73	$ 2.83
Weighted average number of common shares / units outstanding (in shares / units)	153,715	153,471	153,089
Diluted earnings per common share / unit attributable to the Company
Diluted Earnings: Net income, Per Share / Unit Amount (in dollars per share / unit)	$ 3.26	$ 3.72	$ 2.83
Weighted average number of common and common equivalent shares / units outstanding (in shares / units)	153,977	153,844	153,308
Dividends/Distributions per common share/unit	$ 2.70	$ 3.85	$ 7.10
Boston Properties Limited Partnership
Revenue
Base rent	$ 2,017,767	$ 1,964,732	$ 1,886,339
Recoveries from tenants	358,975	355,508	339,365
Parking and other	100,910	101,981	102,593
Total rental revenue	2,477,652	2,422,221	2,328,297
Hotel revenue	44,884	46,046	43,385
Development and management services	28,284	22,554	25,316
Total revenue	2,550,820	2,490,821	2,396,998
Expenses
Rental	889,768	872,252	835,290
Hotel	31,466	32,084	29,236
General and administrative	105,229	96,319	98,937
Transaction costs	2,387	1,259	3,140
Impairment loss	1,783	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	682,776	631,549	620,064
Total expenses	1,713,409	1,633,463	1,586,667
Operating income	837,411	857,358	810,331
Other income (expense)
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures	8,074	22,770	12,769
Gain on sale of investment in unconsolidated joint venture	59,370	0	0
Interest and other income	7,230	6,777	8,765
Gains (losses) from investments in securities	2,273	(653)	1,038
Interest expense	(412,849)	(432,196)	(455,743)
Losses from early extinguishments of debt	(371)	(22,040)	(10,633)
Losses from interest rate contracts	(140)	0	0
Income before gains on sales of real estate	500,998	432,016	366,527
Gains on sales of real estate	82,775	377,093	174,686
Net income	583,773	809,109	541,213
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests
Noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	2,068	(149,855)	(30,561)
Noncontrolling interest - redeemable preferred units	0	(6)	(1,023)
Net income attributable to the Company	585,841	659,248	509,629
Preferred dividends / distributions	(10,500)	(10,500)	(10,500)
Net income attributable to the Company's common shareholders / unitholders	$ 575,341	$ 648,748	$ 499,129
Basic earnings per common share / unit attributable to the Company
Net income (in dollars per share / unit)	$ 3.36	$ 3.79	$ 2.93
Weighted average number of common shares / units outstanding (in shares / units)	171,361	171,139	170,453
Diluted earnings per common share / unit attributable to the Company
Diluted Earnings: Net income, Per Share / Unit Amount (in dollars per share / unit)	$ 3.35	$ 3.78	$ 2.92
Weighted average number of common and common equivalent shares / units outstanding (in shares / units)	171,623	171,512	170,672
Dividends/Distributions per common share/unit	$ 2.70	$ 3.85	$ 7.10