Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Simon Property Group L.P. Simon (Managing General Partner)	Simon Property Group L.P. Limited Partners	Simon Property Group L.P. Preferred Stock or Units	Simon Property Group L.P. Noncontrolling Interests	Simon Property Group L.P.	Preferred Stock or Units Series J Preferred stock	Common Stock	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Capital in Excess of Par Value	Accumulated Deficit	Common Stock Held in Treasury	Noncontrolling Interests	Total
Balance at Dec. 31, 2013						$ 44,390	$ 31	$ (75,795)	$ 9,217,363	$ (3,218,686)	$ (117,897)	$ 973,226	$ 6,822,632
Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 5,805,016	$ 968,962	$ 44,390	$ 4,264	$ 6,822,632
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Exchange of limited partner units (5,020,919, 489,291,and 70,291 common shares respectively in 2016, 2015 and 2014, Note 10)									1,297			(1,297)
Issuance of limited partner units		84,910			84,910							84,910	84,910
Series J preferred stock premium amortization			(328)		(328)	(328)							(328)
Limited partner units exchanged to units	1,297	(1,297)
Stock incentive program (common shares, net: 63,324 in 2016, 63,738 in 2015, 83,509 in 2014)									(14,026)		14,026
Redemption of limited partner units	(12,972)	(1,463)			(14,435)				(12,972)			(1,463)	(14,435)
Amortization of stock incentive	18,256				18,256				18,256				18,256
Spin-off of Washington Prime	(694,457)	(118,306)			(812,763)					(812,763)			(812,763)
Long-term incentive performance units		49,938			49,938							49,938	49,938
Issuance of unit equivalents and other	18,885			12,081	30,966				662	18,281	(58)	12,081	30,966
Adjustment to limited partners' interest from change in ownership in the Operating Partnership	93,351	(93,351)							211,657			(211,657)
Distributions to common shareholders and limited partners, excluding Operating Partnership preferred interests										(1,603,603)		(271,640)	(1,875,243)
Distributions, excluding distributions on preferred interests classified as temporary equity	(1,600,266)	(271,640)	(3,337)	(19,065)	(1,894,308)
Distributions to noncontrolling other interest holders												(19,065)	(19,065)
Other comprehensive income	14,754	2,272			17,026			14,754				2,272	17,026
Net income, excluding $1,915, $1,915 and $1,915 attributable to preferred interests in the Operating Partnership during 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively and $4,301 attributable to noncontrolling redeemable interests in properties in 2016)	1,405,251	238,532	3,337	2,491	1,649,611					1,408,588		241,023	1,649,611
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014						44,062	31	(61,041)	9,422,237	(4,208,183)	(103,929)	858,328	5,951,505
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	5,049,115	858,557	44,062	(229)	5,951,505
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Exchange of limited partner units (5,020,919, 489,291,and 70,291 common shares respectively in 2016, 2015 and 2014, Note 10)									7,942			(7,942)
Series J preferred stock premium amortization			(329)		(329)	(329)							(329)
Limited partner units exchanged to units	7,942	(7,942)
Stock incentive program (common shares, net: 63,324 in 2016, 63,738 in 2015, 83,509 in 2014)									(13,103)		13,103
Redemption of limited partner units	(147,841)	(14,843)			(162,684)				(147,841)			(14,843)	(162,684)
Amortization of stock incentive	13,692				13,692				13,692				13,692
Treasury stock purchase	(343,007)				(343,007)						(343,007)		(343,007)
Long-term incentive performance units		47,279			47,279							47,279	47,279
Issuance of unit equivalents and other	(10,543)			4,537	(6,006)				43	(7,285)	(3,301)	4,537	(6,006)
Adjustment to limited partners' interest from change in ownership in the Operating Partnership	101,480	(101,480)							101,480			(101,480)
Distributions to common shareholders and limited partners, excluding Operating Partnership preferred interests										(1,879,182)		(314,944)	(2,194,126)
Distributions, excluding distributions on preferred interests classified as temporary equity	(1,875,845)	(314,944)	(3,337)	(3,836)	(2,197,962)
Distributions to noncontrolling other interest holders												(3,836)	(3,836)
Other comprehensive income	(191,645)	(31,934)			(223,579)			(191,645)				(31,934)	(223,579)
Net income, excluding $1,915, $1,915 and $1,915 attributable to preferred interests in the Operating Partnership during 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively and $4,301 attributable to noncontrolling redeemable interests in properties in 2016)	1,824,383	306,756	3,337	2,984	2,137,460					1,827,720		309,740	2,137,460
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015						43,733	31	(252,686)	9,384,450	(4,266,930)	(437,134)	744,905	5,216,369
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	4,427,731	741,449	43,733	3,456	5,216,369
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Exchange of limited partner units (5,020,919, 489,291,and 70,291 common shares respectively in 2016, 2015 and 2014, Note 10)							1		73,755			(73,756)
Series J preferred stock premium amortization			(328)		(328)	(328)							(328)
Limited partner units exchanged to units	73,756	(73,756)
Stock incentive program (common shares, net: 63,324 in 2016, 63,738 in 2015, 83,509 in 2014)									(14,139)		14,139
Amortization of stock incentive	12,024				12,024				12,024				12,024
Treasury stock purchase	(255,267)				(255,267)						(255,267)		(255,267)
Long-term incentive performance units		48,324			48,324							48,324	48,324
Issuance of unit equivalents and other	1,889	(2)		1,508	3,395					6,189	(4,300)	1,506	3,395
Adjustment to limited partners' interest from change in ownership in the Operating Partnership	66,996	(66,996)							66,996			(66,996)
Distributions to common shareholders and limited partners, excluding Operating Partnership preferred interests										(2,037,542)		(316,428)	(2,353,970)
Distributions, excluding distributions on preferred interests classified as temporary equity	(2,034,205)	(316,428)	(3,337)	(2,765)	(2,356,735)
Distributions to noncontrolling other interest holders												(2,765)	(2,765)
Other comprehensive income	138,560	25,080			163,640			138,560				25,080	163,640
Net income, excluding $1,915, $1,915 and $1,915 attributable to preferred interests in the Operating Partnership during 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively and $4,301 attributable to noncontrolling redeemable interests in properties in 2016)	1,835,559	286,677	3,337	2,917	2,128,490					1,838,896		289,594	2,128,490
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016						$ 43,405	$ 32	$ (114,126)	$ 9,523,086	$ (4,459,387)	$ (682,562)	$ 649,464	$ 4,959,912
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 4,267,043	$ 644,348	$ 43,405	$ 5,116	$ 4,959,912