Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 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	153,753,830	153,658,866
Common stock, shares outstanding	153,674,930	153,579,966
Treasury common stock at cost, shares	78,900	78,900
General Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding	1,717,722
Limited Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding	151,957,208
Real Estate Investment Property, at Cost	$ 18,690,403	$ 18,465,405
Construction in Progress	865,359	763,935
Accumulated depreciation	4,056,716	3,925,894
Cash and Cash Equivalents	1,180,044	723,718
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	65,654	73,790
Accounts Receivable, Net	84,861	97,865
Deferred Rent Receivables, Net	776,816	754,883
Deferred Charges, net	697,823	704,867
Prepaid expense and other assets	144,222	185,118
Mortgage notes payable, net	3,189,013	3,435,242
Mezzanine notes payable	307,797	308,482
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities	287,464	274,709
Interest Payable	222,175	190,386
Other Liabilities	$ 508,952	$ 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	17,184,629	16,097,473
NonControlling Interest Redeemable Partnership Units Common Units Long Term Incentive Units At Redemption Value Shares Outstanding	912,605	1,831,714
General Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding	1,717,722	1,715,092
Limited Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding	151,957,208	151,864,874
Real Estate Investment Property, at Cost	$ 18,272,679	$ 18,045,011
Construction in Progress	865,359	763,935
Accumulated depreciation	3,974,168	3,846,816
Cash and Cash Equivalents	1,180,044	723,718
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	65,654	73,790
Accounts Receivable, Net	84,861	97,865
Deferred Rent Receivables, Net	776,816	754,883
Deferred Charges, net	697,823	704,867
Prepaid expense and other assets	144,222	185,118
Mortgage notes payable, net	3,189,013	3,435,242
Mezzanine notes payable	307,797	308,482
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities	287,464	274,709
Interest Payable	222,175	190,386
Other Liabilities	$ 508,952	$ 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	$ 6,025,213
Construction in Progress	567,609
Accumulated depreciation	(712,358)
Cash and Cash Equivalents	214,595
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	3,527
Accounts Receivable, Net	19,719
Deferred Rent Receivables, Net	220,277
Deferred Charges, net	320,317
Prepaid expense and other assets	84,345
Mortgage notes payable, net	2,046,828
Mezzanine notes payable	307,797
Outside member's notes payable	180,000
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities	109,038
Interest Payable	144,327
Other Liabilities	195,437
VIE | Boston Properties Limited Partnership
Real Estate Investment Property, at Cost	5,945,815
Construction in Progress	567,609
Accumulated depreciation	(696,690)
Cash and Cash Equivalents	214,595
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	3,527
Accounts Receivable, Net	19,719
Deferred Rent Receivables, Net	220,277
Deferred Charges, net	320,317
Prepaid expense and other assets	84,345
Mortgage notes payable, net	2,046,828
Mezzanine notes payable	307,797
Outside member's notes payable	180,000
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities	109,038
Interest Payable	144,327
Other Liabilities	$ 195,437