Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Excess stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Excess stock, shares authorized	150,000,000	150,000,000
Excess stock, shares issued	0	0
Excess stock, shares outstanding	0	0
Preferred stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Preferred stock, shares authorized	50,000,000	50,000,000
Common stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common stock, shares authorized	250,000,000	250,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	154,401,166	153,869,075
Common stock, shares outstanding	154,322,266	153,790,175
Treasury common stock at cost, shares	78,900	78,900
General Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding	1,719,516
Limited Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding	152,602,750
Real Estate Investment Property, at Cost	$ 20,859,245	$ 20,147,263
Accumulated depreciation	(4,484,798)	(4,222,235)
Cash and Cash Equivalents	493,055	356,914
Cash held in escrow	83,779	63,174
Tenant and other receivables	79,750	92,548
Accrued rental income	835,415	799,138
Deferred Charges, net	657,474	686,163
Prepaid expense and other assets	144,817	129,666
Mortgage notes payable, net	2,982,067	2,063,087
Mezzanine notes payable	0	307,093
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	325,440	298,524
Accrued interest payable	99,100	243,933
Other Liabilities	$ 419,215	$ 450,821
Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock [Member]
Preferred stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Preferred stock, shares authorized	92,000	92,000
Series B Dividend Rate Percentage	5.25%	5.25%
Series B, Liquidation Preference Per Share (dollars per share)	$ 2,500.00	$ 2,500
Series B, shares issued	80,000	80,000
Series B, Shares Outstanding (in shares)	80,000	80,000
Boston Properties Limited Partnership
NonControlling Interest Redeemable Partnership Units Common Units Shares Outstanding	16,812,329	17,079,511
NonControlling Interest Redeemable Partnership Units Common Units Long Term Incentive Units At Redemption Value Shares Outstanding	816,982	904,588
General Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding	1,719,516	1,717,743
Limited Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding	152,602,750	152,072,432
Real Estate Investment Property, at Cost	$ 20,447,767	$ 19,733,872
Accumulated depreciation	(4,394,077)	(4,136,364)
Cash and Cash Equivalents	493,055	356,914
Cash held in escrow	83,779	63,174
Tenant and other receivables	79,750	92,548
Accrued rental income	835,415	799,138
Deferred Charges, net	657,474	686,163
Prepaid expense and other assets	144,817	129,666
Mortgage notes payable, net	2,982,067	2,063,087
Mezzanine notes payable	0	307,093
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	325,440	298,524
Accrued interest payable	99,100	243,933
Other Liabilities	$ 419,215	$ 450,821
Boston Properties Limited Partnership | Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock [Member]
Series B Dividend Rate Percentage	5.25%	5.25%
Series B, Liquidation Preference Per Share (dollars per share)	$ 2,500	$ 2,500
Series B, shares issued	80,000	80,000
Series B, Shares Outstanding (in shares)	80,000	80,000
VIE
Real Estate Investment Property, at Cost	$ 7,084,588	$ 6,760,078
Accumulated depreciation	(825,390)	(758,640)
Cash and Cash Equivalents	285,089	253,999
Cash held in escrow	6,179	4,955
Tenant and other receivables	19,891	23,525
Accrued rental income	232,336	224,185
Deferred Charges, net	268,727	290,436
Prepaid expense and other assets	68,330	42,718
Mortgage notes payable, net	2,941,550	2,018,483
Mezzanine notes payable	0	307,093
Outside member's notes payable	0	180,000
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	106,772	110,457
Accrued interest payable	6,800	162,226
Other Liabilities	146,517	175,146
VIE | Boston Properties Limited Partnership
Real Estate Investment Property, at Cost	7,084,588	6,760,078
Accumulated depreciation	(825,390)	(758,640)
Cash and Cash Equivalents	285,089	253,999
Cash held in escrow	6,179	4,955
Tenant and other receivables	19,891	23,525
Accrued rental income	232,336	224,185
Deferred Charges, net	268,727	290,436
Prepaid expense and other assets	68,330	42,718
Mortgage notes payable, net	2,941,550	2,018,483
Mezzanine notes payable	0	307,093
Outside member's notes payable	0	180,000
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	106,772	110,457
Accrued interest payable	6,800	162,226
Other Liabilities	$ 146,517	$ 175,146