Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
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	153,683,866	153,658,866
Common stock, shares outstanding	153,604,966	153,579,966
Treasury common stock at cost, shares	78,900	78,900
Real Estate Investment Property, at Cost	$ 18,424,542	$ 18,465,405
Construction in Progress	857,578	763,935
Accumulated depreciation	3,969,648	3,925,894
Cash and Cash Equivalents	1,605,678	723,718
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	71,349	73,790
Accounts Receivable, Net	73,759	97,865
Deferred Rent Receivables, Net	767,864	754,883
Deferred Charges, net	693,976	704,867
Prepaid expense and other assets	136,799	185,118
Mortgage notes payable, net	3,416,622	3,435,242
Mezzanine notes payable	308,142	308,482
Outside member's notes payable	180,000	180,000
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities	252,727	274,709
Interest Payable	221,578	190,386
Other Liabilities	$ 498,290	$ 483,601
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	16,092,449	16,097,473
NonControlling Interest Redeemable Partnership Units Common Units Long Term Incentive Units At Redemption Value Shares Outstanding	2,065,185	1,831,714
General Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding	1,717,626	1,715,092
Limited Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding	151,887,340	151,864,874
Real Estate Investment Property, at Cost	$ 18,006,818	$ 18,045,011
Construction in Progress	857,578	763,935
Accumulated depreciation	3,889,084	3,846,816
Cash and Cash Equivalents	1,605,678	723,718
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	71,349	73,790
Accounts Receivable, Net	73,759	97,865
Deferred Rent Receivables, Net	767,864	754,883
Deferred Charges, net	693,976	704,867
Prepaid expense and other assets	136,799	185,118
Mortgage notes payable, net	3,416,622	3,435,242
Mezzanine notes payable	308,142	308,482
Outside member's notes payable	180,000	180,000
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities	252,727	274,709
Interest Payable	221,578	190,386
Other Liabilities	$ 498,290	$ 483,601
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)	$ 2,500.00	$ 2,500.00
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	$ 6,024,005
Construction in Progress	486,025
Accumulated depreciation	(690,415)
Cash and Cash Equivalents	227,255
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	3,671
Accounts Receivable, Net	24,403
Deferred Rent Receivables, Net	217,148
Deferred Charges, net	323,493
Prepaid expense and other assets	77,995
Mortgage notes payable, net	2,060,838
Mezzanine notes payable	308,142
Outside member's notes payable	180,000
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities	82,270
Interest Payable	136,165
Other Liabilities	205,007
VIE | Boston Properties Limited Partnership
Real Estate Investment Property, at Cost	5,944,607
Construction in Progress	486,025
Accumulated depreciation	(675,124)
Cash and Cash Equivalents	227,255
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	3,671
Accounts Receivable, Net	24,403
Deferred Rent Receivables, Net	217,148
Deferred Charges, net	323,493
Prepaid expense and other assets	77,995
Mortgage notes payable, net	2,060,838
Mezzanine notes payable	308,142
Outside member's notes payable	180,000
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities	82,270
Interest Payable	136,165
Other Liabilities	$ 205,007