Noncontrolling Interests (Property Partnerships) (Narrative) (Details) $ in Thousands				12 Months Ended
	May 12, 2016	Sep. 18, 2015 USD ($) ft²	Oct. 30, 2014 USD ($) ft² floor	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 10, 2015 USD ($)
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Property partnerships				$ 1,530,647	$ 1,574,400
Proceeds from sales of real estate				122,750	602,600	$ 419,864
Gains on sales of real estate				80,606	375,895	168,039
505 9th Street [Member] | Consolidated Properties [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Ownership Percentage by Parent		50.00%
Sale Price Of Sold Property		$ 318,000
Mortgage Loan Related to Property Sales		$ 117,000
Net Rentable Area | ft²		322,000
Proceeds from sales of real estate		$ 194,600
Gains on sales of real estate		199,500
Noncontroling interest for a dissolved entity relcassed to accounts payable and and accrued expenses				200			$ 4,100
Consolidated Entity Excluding Variable Interest Entities (VIE) [Member] | 505 9th Street [Member] | Consolidated Properties [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Proceeds from sales of real estate		97,300
Gains on sales of real estate		101,100
Boston Properties Limited Partnership
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Property partnerships				1,530,647	1,574,400
Proceeds from sales of real estate				122,750	602,600	419,864
Gains on sales of real estate				82,775	$ 377,093	$ 174,686
Boston Properties Limited Partnership | 505 9th Street [Member] | Consolidated Properties [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Gains on sales of real estate		$ 199,700
601 Lexington Avenue, Atlantic Wharf Office Building and 100 Federal Street [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Sale Price Of Sold Property			$ 1,827,000
Portion allocation to noncontrolling interest based on carrying value of the total equity of the property prior to the sale			849,000
Difference between net cash proceeds received and noncontrolling interest recognized			648,500
Proceeds from sale of an interest in a real estate asset			$ 1,497,000
Ownership Percentage			45.00%
Secured debt			$ 712,900
601 Lexington Avenue | 601 Lexington Avenue, Atlantic Wharf Office Building and 100 Federal Street [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Net Rentable Area | ft²			1,669,000
Atlantic Wharf | 601 Lexington Avenue, Atlantic Wharf Office Building and 100 Federal Street [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Net Rentable Area | ft²			791,000
100 Federal Street | 601 Lexington Avenue, Atlantic Wharf Office Building and 100 Federal Street [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Net Rentable Area | ft²			1,323,000
Office Tower [Member] | 601 Lexington Avenue, Atlantic Wharf Office Building and 100 Federal Street [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Number of floors in building | floor			59
Low Rise Building [Member] | 601 Lexington Avenue, Atlantic Wharf Office Building and 100 Federal Street [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Number of floors in building | floor			6
Salesforce Tower | Consolidated Properties [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Ownership Percentage	5.00%
Portion of project costs covered by a construction loan	50.00%
Portion of costs funded (in percentage)	50.00%
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	3.00%
Salesforce Tower | Boston Properties, Inc. [Member] | Consolidated Properties [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Costs funded (in percentage)	2.50%
Preferred equity funded				$ 4,300