Consolidated Statement of Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Shares Of Beneficial Interest [Member]		Additional Paid-In Capital [Member]		Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Distributions in Excess of Net Income [Member]	Total Liberty Property Trust Shareholders' Equity [Member]	Noncontrolling interest operating partnership Common [Member]	Noncontrolling interest operating partnership-Preferred [Member]	Noncontrolling interest-consolidated joint ventures [Member]	Stockholders' Equity, Total [Member]	Liberty Property Limited Partnership [Member]	Liberty Property Limited Partnership [Member] General Partner [Member]	Liberty Property Limited Partnership [Member] Limited Partner [Member]	Liberty Property Limited Partnership [Member] Noncontrolling interest operating partnership-Preferred [Member]	Liberty Property Limited Partnership [Member] Noncontrolling interest-consolidated joint ventures [Member]	Liberty Property Limited Partnership [Member] Stockholders' Equity, Total [Member]	Common shares [Member]	Common shares [Member] Common Shares Of Beneficial Interest [Member]	Common shares [Member] Additional Paid-In Capital [Member]	Common units [Member] Liberty Property Limited Partnership [Member] General Partner [Member]	Common units [Member] Liberty Property Limited Partnership [Member] Limited Partner [Member]
Common shares outstanding - Beginning Balance (Restatement Adjustment [Member])																			1,249,909
Common shares outstanding - Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	118,470,867																		118,470,867
General Partner's units outstanding - Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2012																						118,470,867
Limited Partners' units outstanding - Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2012																							3,713,851
Increase (Decrease) in Shares/Units [Roll Forward]
Number of common shares issued																			27,968,740
Number of common units issued																						27,968,740
Share repurchase, shares																			0
Increase in shares of the Trust/units of general partner from the conversion of limited partners' units																			157,285			157,285
Decrease in limited partners' units from conversion into shares																							(157,285)
Common shares outstanding - Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	146,596,892																		146,596,892
General Partner's units outstanding - Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2013																						146,596,892
Limited Partners' units outstanding - Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2013																							3,556,566
Beginning Balance (Restatement Adjustment [Member])																				$ 1	$ 51,950
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2012		$ 118	[1]	$ 2,635,751	[1]	$ 2,900	$ (547,757)	$ 2,091,012	$ 60,223	$ 63,264	$ 3,321	$ 2,217,820		$ 2,091,012	$ 60,223	$ 63,264	$ 3,321	$ 2,217,820
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net proceeds from the issuance of common shares		29		969,439		0	0	969,468	0	0	0	969,468
Contributions from partners														979,444				979,444
Distributions to partners														(253,694)	(6,995)	(1,647)	(352)	(262,688)
Net income	$ 219,594	0		0		0	209,738	209,738	5,848	2,883	653	219,122	$ 219,594	209,738	5,848	2,883	653	219,122
Distributions		0		0		0	(253,694)	(253,694)	(6,995)	(1,647)	(352)	(262,688)
Redemption of limited partners common units for common shares														2,502	(2,502)
Noncash compensation		0		9,976		0	0	9,976	0	0	0	9,976
Other comprehensive (loss) income - foreign currency translation	5,397	0		0		5,296	0	5,296	101	0	0	5,397	5,397	5,296	101			5,397
Other comprehensive (loss) income - derivative instruments	1,584	0		0		1,546	0	1,546	38	0	0	1,584	1,584	1,546	38	0	0	1,584
Redemption of noncontrolling interests - common units		0		2,502		0	0	2,502	(2,502)	0	0	0
Redemption of limited partners' preferred units		0		0		0	0	0	0	(63,264)	0	(63,264)				(63,264)		(63,264)
Excess of preferred unit redemption over carrying amount	(1,236)	0		0		0	0	0	0	(1,236)	0	(1,236)	(1,236)			(1,236)		(1,236)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2013		147		3,617,668		9,742	(591,713)	3,035,844	56,713	0	3,622	3,096,179		3,035,844	56,713	0	3,622	3,096,179
Noncontrolling interest - operating partnership (mezzanine) - Beginning of Period at Dec. 31, 2012	7,537												7,537
Increase (Decrease) in Temporary Equity [Roll Forward]
Temporary Equity, Net Income	472												472
Temporary Equity, Distributions	(472)												(472)
Noncontrolling interest - operating partnership (mezzanine) - End of Period at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 7,537												$ 7,537
Increase (Decrease) in Shares/Units [Roll Forward]
Number of common shares issued																			1,957,378
Number of common units issued																						1,957,378
Share repurchase, shares																			0
Increase in shares of the Trust/units of general partner from the conversion of limited partners' units																			3,000			3,000
Decrease in limited partners' units from conversion into shares																							(3,000)
Common shares outstanding - Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	148,557,270												148,557,270						148,557,270
General Partner's units outstanding - Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2014																						148,557,270
Limited Partners' units outstanding - Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2014													3,556,566										3,553,566
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net proceeds from the issuance of common shares		2		58,471		0	0	58,473	0	0	0	58,473
Contributions from partners														70,930				70,930
Distributions to partners														(281,066)	(6,731)	0	(250)	(288,047)
Net income	$ 224,163	0		0		0	217,910	217,910	5,234	0	547	223,691	$ 224,163	217,910	5,234	0	547	223,691
Distributions		0		0		0	(281,066)	(281,066)	(6,731)	0	(250)	(288,047)
Redemption of limited partners common units for common shares														48	(48)
Noncash compensation		0		12,457		0	0	12,457	0	0	0	12,457
Other comprehensive (loss) income - foreign currency translation	(14,415)	0		0		(14,079)	0	(14,079)	(336)	0	0	(14,415)	(14,415)	(14,079)	(336)			(14,415)
Other comprehensive (loss) income - derivative instruments	(1,961)	0		0		(1,915)	0	(1,915)	(46)	0	0	(1,961)	(1,961)	(1,915)	(46)	0	0	(1,961)
Redemption of noncontrolling interests - common units		0		48		0	0	48	(48)	0	0	0
Excess of preferred unit redemption over carrying amount													0
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	3,086,377	149		3,688,644		(6,252)	(654,869)	3,027,672	54,786	0	3,919	3,086,377	3,086,377	3,027,672	54,786	0	3,919	3,086,377
Increase (Decrease) in Temporary Equity [Roll Forward]
Temporary Equity, Net Income	472												472
Temporary Equity, Distributions	(472)												(472)
Noncontrolling interest - operating partnership (mezzanine) - End of Period at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 7,537												$ 7,537
Increase (Decrease) in Shares/Units [Roll Forward]
Number of common shares issued																			1,328,017
Number of common units issued																						1,328,017
Share repurchase, shares																			(2,321,794)			(2,321,794)
Increase in shares of the Trust/units of general partner from the conversion of limited partners' units																			14,491			14,491
Decrease in limited partners' units from conversion into shares																							(14,491)
Common shares outstanding - Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	147,577,984												147,577,984						147,577,984
General Partner's units outstanding - Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2015																						147,577,984
Limited Partners' units outstanding - Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2015													3,539,075										3,539,075
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net proceeds from the issuance of common shares		0		38,797		0	0	38,797	0	0	0	38,797
Contributions from partners														52,560				52,560
Distributions to partners														(282,124)	(6,868)	0	(249)	(289,241)
Net income	$ 244,446	0		0		0	238,039	238,039	5,686	0	249	243,974	$ 244,446	238,039	5,686	0	249	243,974
Distributions		0		0		0	(282,124)	(282,124)	(6,868)	0	(249)	(289,241)
Share repurchase, value		(1)		(71,801)		0	0	(71,802)	0	0	0	(71,802)		(71,802)	0	0	0	(71,802)
Redemption of limited partners common units for common shares														224	(224)			0
Noncash compensation		0		13,763		0	0	13,763	0	0	0	13,763
Other comprehensive (loss) income - foreign currency translation	(11,433)	0		0		(11,164)	0	(11,164)	(269)	0	0	(11,433)	(11,433)	(11,164)	(269)			(11,433)
Other comprehensive (loss) income - derivative instruments	(488)	0		0		(477)	0	(477)	(11)	0	0	(488)	(488)	(477)	(11)	0	0	(488)
Redemption of noncontrolling interests - common units		0		224		0	0	224	(224)	0	0	0
Excess of preferred unit redemption over carrying amount													0
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	3,009,947	$ 148		$ 3,669,627		$ (17,893)	$ (698,954)	$ 2,952,928	$ 53,100	$ 0	$ 3,919	$ 3,009,947	3,009,947	$ 2,952,928	$ 53,100	$ 0	$ 3,919	$ 3,009,947
Increase (Decrease) in Temporary Equity [Roll Forward]
Temporary Equity, Net Income	472												472
Temporary Equity, Distributions	(472)												(472)
Noncontrolling interest - operating partnership (mezzanine) - End of Period at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 7,537												$ 7,537

[1] The January 1, 2013 balance of common shares of beneficial interest and additional paid-in capital have been reduced by $1 and $51,950, respectively, from previous filings. The January 1, 2013 balance of number of common shares has been reduced by 1,249,909 from previous filings. See Note 2.