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(Common Units) (Narrative) (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions |  |  | 6 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Feb. 04, 2016 USD ($) shares | Feb. 06, 2015 USD ($) shares | Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) yr $ / shares shares | May 02, 2016 shares
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Conversion of LTIP Units to OP Units (in units) |  |  |  | 625,043
2012 OPP Units and 2013 MYLTIP Units [Member] |  |  |  |
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Conversion of LTIP Units to OP Units (in units) |  |  |  | 32,349
OP Units [Member] |  |  |  |
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items] |  |  |  |
OP Units for redemption (in shares) |  |  | 78,629 |
Redemption of OP units issued on conversion of LTIP Units (in shares) |  |  | 37,529 |
Restriction on redemption of OP Unit to Common Stock (in years) | yr |  |  | 1 |
Redemption of OP Unit equivalence to Common Stock (in shares) |  |  | 1 |
Common units of operating partnership if converted value | $ |  |  | $ 2,400.0 |
Closing price of common stock (in dollars per share) | $ / shares |  |  | $ 131.90 |
OPP Units 2012 [Member] |  |  |  |
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Outperformance awards earned | $ |  | $ 32.1 |  |
Potential maximum amount of Outperformance Awards earned (percent) |  | 80.00% |  |
Potential Awards Earned | $ |  | $ 40.0 |  |
2012 OPP Units Forfeited |  | 174,549 |  |
2013 MYLTIP [Member] |  |  |  |
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Final awards percentage of target | 109.50% |  |  |
Value of MYLTIP Awards | $ | $ 13.5 |  |  |
2013 MYLTIP Units Forfeited | 205,762 |  |  |
Boston Properties Limited Partnership | OP Units [Member] |  |  |  |
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Outperformance Awards LTIP Units distribution as percentage of OP Unit distribution prior to measurement date |  |  | 10.00% |
Boston Properties Limited Partnership | MYLTIP 2014 [Member] |  |  |  |
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items] |  |  |  |
2014 MYLTIP (in units) |  |  | 474,415 |
Boston Properties Limited Partnership | 2015 MYLTIP [Member] |  |  |  |
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items] |  |  |  |
2015 MYLTIPS (in units) |  |  | 367,218 |
Boston Properties Limited Partnership | 2016 MYLTIP [Member] |  |  |  |
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items] |  |  |  |
2016 MYLTIPs (in units) |  |  | 473,360 |

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