Shareholders' Equity and Partners' Capital (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	0 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended								1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended				0 Months Ended			12 Months Ended					1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 16, 2013	Jul. 16, 2013	Apr. 16, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2013	Jan. 15, 2014 Subsequent Event [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Common Stock [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Common Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Common Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Common Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Common Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Nov. 05, 2012 Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Series E Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Series E Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Series E Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Series E Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Series E Preferred Stock [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Series E Preferred Stock [Member] Per Depositary Share [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 7.375% Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Series D Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Series D Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Series D Preferred Stock [Member]	Nov. 05, 2012 Accumulated Deficit [Member] Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Operating Partnership [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Operating Partnership [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. [Member] Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. [Member] Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. [Member] Series E Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. [Member] Series E Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. [Member] Series E Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. [Member] Series D Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. [Member] Series D Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. [Member] Accumulated Deficit [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. [Member] Accumulated Deficit [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. [Member] Accumulated Deficit [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Common Units [Member] Operating Partnership [Member]
Shareholders Equity [Line Items]
Allocation of Dividends Declared and Paid											$ 0.98	$ 0.83	$ 0.84	$ 0.00	$ 14.53	$ 19.38					$ 16.56	$ 3.91	$ 0.00			$ 18.44	$ 18.44	$ 18.44
Redeemable noncontrolling interest, units exercised for conversion					12,690,628	401,324
Stock Repurchased During Period, Value					$ 3,965	$ 5,869
Stock Repurchased During Period, Shares					224,628
Stock issued following conversion of convertible securities					12,466,000
Common Stock [Abstract]
Common stock, shares authorized											350,000,000																					350,000,000	350,000,000
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)											$ 0.01																					$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common stock, shares outstanding											170,048,144	161,309,652																				170,048,144	161,309,652
Common units outstanding																														199,593,731	190,855,239
Preferred Stock [Abstract]
Preferred stock, shares authorized							15,000,000																									15,000,000	15,000,000
Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share)							$ 0.01																									$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Preferred stock, liquidation preference per share														$ 250					$ 250
Public offering, shares issued									6,530,193	1,889,105	8,419,298								6,900,000																		690,000
Preferred stock, liquidation preference (per share)																		115,000
Proceeds from issuances of preferred stock																			166,636													0	166,720	0
Dividends payable				35,485	35,485		41,662											891
Preferred stock, redemption amount																	115,891
Proceeds from (repayments of) lines of credit				50,745
Dividends in arrears per depositary share (in dollars per share)																				$ 1.65625					$ 1.84375
Dividend rate (in thousandths)																			6.625%						7.375%													6.625%	6.625%	7.375%	7.375%
Depositary shares outstanding																									18,150,000
Depositary shares, liquidation preference (in dollars per share)																								$ 25.00	$ 25.00
Dividends in arrears per share (in dollars per share)																									$ 18.4375
Preferred stock, shares outstanding (in shares)																	460,000																		0	0		690,000	690,000	1,815,000	1,815,000
Dividends, preferred stock																													$ 3,773			$ 44,892	$ 43,738	$ 42,376								$ 44,892	$ 43,738	$ 42,376
Dividends [Abstract]
Common stock cash dividends per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.23	$ 0.23	$ 0.23					$ 0.245
Noncontrolling interest conversion, calculation of trailing average of trading price, term																																													5 days