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Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies Schedule of Tax Treatment Of Common Dividends Per Share For Federal Tax Purposes (Details) - $ / shares | 12 Months Ended |  |
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Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Jan. 28, 2016 | Jan. 28, 2015
Tax Treatment Of Common Dividends Per Share For Federal Tax Purposes [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Dividends Payable, Amount Per Share | [1] |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 1.90 |
Special dividend (per share amount) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 1.25 | $ 4.50
Boston Properties, Inc. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Tax Treatment Of Common Dividends Per Share For Federal Tax Purposes [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Special dividend (per share amount) |  | $ 1.25 |  | $ 4.50 |  | $ 2.25 |  |  |
Dividends Treatment For Federal Tax Purposes, Percentage |  | 100.00% |  | 100.00% |  | 100.00% |  |  |
Dividends treatment for federal tax purposes. |  | $ 4.04 | [2] | $ 6.82 | [3] | $ 4.75 | [4] |  |
Boston Properties, Inc. [Member] | Dividend Declared [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Tax Treatment Of Common Dividends Per Share For Federal Tax Purposes [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Dividends Payable, Amount Per Share |  | 1.90 |  | 5.15 |  | 2.90 |  |  |
Boston Properties, Inc. [Member] | non-special dividend [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Tax Treatment Of Common Dividends Per Share For Federal Tax Purposes [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Dividends Payable, Amount Per Share |  | 0.65 |  | 0.65 |  | 0.65 |  |  |
Boston Properties, Inc. [Member] | Allocated to fiscal 2013[Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Tax Treatment Of Common Dividends Per Share For Federal Tax Purposes [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Dividends Payable, Amount Per Share |  |  |  |  |  | 2.44 |  |  |
Boston Properties, Inc. [Member] | Allocated to fiscal 2014 [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Tax Treatment Of Common Dividends Per Share For Federal Tax Purposes [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Dividends Payable, Amount Per Share |  |  |  | 4.41 |  | $ 0.46 |  |  |
Boston Properties, Inc. [Member] | Allocated to fiscal 2015 [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Tax Treatment Of Common Dividends Per Share For Federal Tax Purposes [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Dividends Payable, Amount Per Share |  |  |  | $ 0.74 |  |  |  |  |
Special dividend (per share amount) |  | 1.35 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Boston Properties, Inc. [Member] | Allocated to fiscal 2016 [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Tax Treatment Of Common Dividends Per Share For Federal Tax Purposes [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Special dividend (per share amount) |  | $ 0.55 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Boston Properties, Inc. [Member] | Capital Gains Income [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Tax Treatment Of Common Dividends Per Share For Federal Tax Purposes [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Dividends Treatment For Federal Tax Purposes, Percentage |  | 42.03% |  | 100.00% |  | 51.29% |  |  |
Dividends treatment for federal tax purposes. |  | $ 1.70 |  | $ 6.82 |  | $ 2.44 |  |  |
Boston Properties, Inc. [Member] | Ordinary Income [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Tax Treatment Of Common Dividends Per Share For Federal Tax Purposes [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Dividends Treatment For Federal Tax Purposes, Percentage |  | 57.97% |  | 0.00% |  | 48.71% |  |  |
Dividends treatment for federal tax purposes. |  | $ 2.34 |  | $ 0.00 |  | $ 2.31 |  |  |
[1] | Includes a special dividend/distribution of $1.25 per share/common unit.
[2] | The fourth quarter 2015 dividend of $1.90 per common share consists of a $1.25 per common share special dividend and a $0.65 per common share regular quarterly dividend, approximately $1.35 per common share was allocable to 2015 and approximately $0.55 per common share is allocable to 2016.
[3] | The fourth quarter 2014 dividend of $5.15 per common share consists of a $4.50 per common share special dividend and a $0.65 per common share regular quarterly dividend, approximately $4.41 per common share was allocable to 2014 and approximately $0.74 per common share is allocable to 2015.
[4] | The fourth quarter 2013 dividend of $2.90 per common share consists of a $2.25 per common share special dividend and a $0.65 per common share regular quarterly dividend, approximately $2.44 per common share was allocable to 2013 and approximately $0.46 per common share is allocable to 2014.

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