Segment Information (Schedule Of Reconciliation Of Net Operating Income To Net Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Net income attributable to the Company's common shareholders / unitholders	$ 502,285	$ 572,606	$ 433,111
Preferred dividends / distributions	(10,500)	(10,500)	(10,500)
Noncontrolling interest-common units of the Operating Partnership	(59,260)	(66,951)	(50,862)
Noncontrolling interest - redeemable preferred units	0	(6)	(1,023)
Noncontrolling interest in property partnerships	2,068	(149,855)	(30,561)
Losses from interest rate contracts	(140)	0	0
Losses from early extinguishments of debt	(371)	(22,040)	(10,633)
Interest expense	(412,849)	(432,196)	(455,743)
Depreciation and amortization expense	(694,403)	(639,542)	(628,573)
Impairment loss	(1,783)	0	0
Transaction costs	(2,387)	(1,259)	(3,140)
General and administrative expense	(105,229)	(96,319)	(98,937)
Gains (losses) from investments in securities	(2,273)	653	(1,038)
Interest and other income	(7,230)	(6,777)	(8,765)
Gain on sale of investment in unconsolidated joint venture	(59,370)	0	0
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures	(8,074)	(22,770)	(12,769)
Development and management services income	(28,284)	(22,554)	(25,316)
Business Intersegment, Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Net income attributable to the Company's common shareholders / unitholders	502,285	572,606	433,111
Preferred dividends / distributions	10,500	10,500	10,500
Noncontrolling interest-common units of the Operating Partnership	59,260	66,951	50,862
Noncontrolling interest - redeemable preferred units	0	6	1,023
Noncontrolling interest in property partnerships	(2,068)	149,855	30,561
Losses from interest rate contracts	140	0	0
Losses from early extinguishments of debt	371	22,040	10,633
Interest expense	412,849	432,196	455,743
Depreciation and amortization expense	694,403	639,542	628,573
Impairment loss	1,783	0	0
Transaction costs	2,387	1,259	3,140
General and administrative expense	105,229	96,319	98,937
Gains on sales of real estate	80,606	375,895	168,039
Gains (losses) from investments in securities	2,273	(653)	1,038
Interest and other income	7,230	6,777	8,765
Gain on sale of investment in unconsolidated joint venture	59,370	0	0
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures	8,074	22,770	12,769
Development and management services income	28,284	22,554	25,316
Net Operating Income	1,601,302	1,563,931	1,507,156
Boston Properties Limited Partnership
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Net income attributable to the Company's common shareholders / unitholders	575,341	648,748	499,129
Preferred dividends / distributions	(10,500)	(10,500)	(10,500)
Noncontrolling interest - redeemable preferred units	0	(6)	(1,023)
Noncontrolling interest in property partnerships	2,068	(149,855)	(30,561)
Losses from interest rate contracts	(140)	0	0
Losses from early extinguishments of debt	(371)	(22,040)	(10,633)
Interest expense	(412,849)	(432,196)	(455,743)
Depreciation and amortization expense	(682,776)	(631,549)	(620,064)
Impairment loss	(1,783)	0	0
Transaction costs	(2,387)	(1,259)	(3,140)
General and administrative expense	(105,229)	(96,319)	(98,937)
Gains (losses) from investments in securities	(2,273)	653	(1,038)
Interest and other income	(7,230)	(6,777)	(8,765)
Gain on sale of investment in unconsolidated joint venture	(59,370)	0	0
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures	(8,074)	(22,770)	(12,769)
Development and management services income	(28,284)	(22,554)	(25,316)
Boston Properties Limited Partnership | Business Intersegment, Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Net income attributable to the Company's common shareholders / unitholders	575,341	648,748	499,129
Preferred dividends / distributions	10,500	10,500	10,500
Noncontrolling interest - redeemable preferred units	0	6	1,023
Noncontrolling interest in property partnerships	(2,068)	149,855	30,561
Losses from interest rate contracts	140	0	0
Losses from early extinguishments of debt	371	22,040	10,633
Interest expense	412,849	432,196	455,743
Depreciation and amortization expense	682,776	631,549	620,064
Impairment loss	1,783	0	0
Transaction costs	2,387	1,259	3,140
General and administrative expense	105,229	96,319	98,937
Gains on sales of real estate	82,775	377,093	174,686
Gains (losses) from investments in securities	2,273	(653)	1,038
Interest and other income	7,230	6,777	8,765
Gain on sale of investment in unconsolidated joint venture	59,370	0	0
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures	8,074	22,770	12,769
Development and management services income	28,284	22,554	25,316
Net Operating Income	$ 1,601,302	$ 1,563,931	$ 1,507,156