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Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies Revision of Prior Period Amounts for Montvale Center (Details) (USD $) | 3 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended | 0 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Jun. 30, 2013 | Jun. 30, 2012 | Jun. 30, 2013 | Jun. 30, 2012 | Feb. 20, 2013 Montvale Center [Member] | Jun. 30, 2012 Montvale Center [Member] | Jun. 30, 2012 As Revised [Member] | Jun. 30, 2012 As Revised [Member] | Jun. 30, 2012 As Reported [Member] | Jun. 30, 2012 As Reported [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total revenue | $ 515,320,000 | $ 471,349,000 | $ 998,334,000 | $ 915,042,000 |  |  | $ 471,349,000 | $ 915,042,000 | $ 472,897,000 | $ 918,124,000
Income from continuing operations | 505,888,000 | 97,079,000 | 546,817,000 | 152,344,000 |  |  | 97,079,000 | 152,344,000 | 97,471,000 | 153,188,000
Discontinued Operations | 873,000 | 218,000 | 934,000 | 788,000 |  |  | 37,095,000 | 37,665,000 | 37,275,000 | 55,568,000
Net income attributable to Boston Properties, Inc. common shareholders | 452,417,000 | 118,559,000 | 500,093,000 | 166,971,000 |  |  | 118,559,000 | 166,971,000 | 119,070,000 | 183,672,000
Income attributable to Boston Properties, Inc. common shareholders per share -basic | $ 2.95 | $ 0.79 | $ 3.27 | $ 1.12 |  |  | $ 0.79 | $ 1.12 | $ 0.79 | $ 1.23
Inceom (loss) from continuing operations before discontinued operations and allocation of undistributed earnings (dollars per share) | $ 2.97 |  | $ 3.19 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income attributable to Boston Properties, Inc. common shareholders per share -diluted | $ 2.94 | $ 0.78 | $ 3.26 | $ 1.12 |  |  | $ 0.78 | $ 1.12 | $ 0.79 | $ 1.23
Amount of debt extinguished |  |  |  |  |  | 25,000,000 |  |  |  |
Gain on forgiveness of debt from discontinued operations | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 20,182,000 | $ 0 | $ 20,200,000 | $ 17,800,000 |  |  |  |

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