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Stockholders' Equity / Partners' Capital (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions |  | 12 Months Ended |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Jun. 02, 2017 USD ($) yr | Dec. 31, 2017 $ / shares shares | Dec. 31, 2016 $ / shares shares | Dec. 31, 2015 shares | Mar. 27, 2018 $ / shares | Jun. 03, 2014 USD ($)
Class of Stock [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
General Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding (in units) |  | 1,719,540 |  |  |  |
Limited Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding |  | 152,605,746 |  |  |  |
Common stock, shares outstanding |  | 154,325,286 | 153,790,175 |  |  |
Shares of Common Stock issued upon the exercise of options to purchase Common Stock by certain employees |  | 6,688 | 0 | 11,447 |  |
Shares of its Common Stock issued in connection with the redemption of an equal number of OP Units |  | 495,637 | 190,857 |  |  |
ATM Program [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Class of Stock [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
At the market stock offering program, aggregate value of common stock | $ | $ 600.0 |  |  |  |  | $ 600.0
At Market Stock Offering Program Maximum Length Of Sale In Years | yr | 3 |  |  |  |  |
Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock / Unit [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Class of Stock [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Preferred stock, shares outstanding |  | 80,000 | 80,000 |  |  |
Preferred Stock, Dividend Rate, Percentage |  | 5.25% |  |  |  |
Series B Liquidation Preference Per Share | $ / shares |  | $ 2,500.00 | $ 2,500 |  | $ 2,500.00 |
Depositary shares of Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Class of Stock [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Preferred stock, shares outstanding |  | 8,000,000 |  |  |  |
Series B Liquidation Preference Per Share | $ / shares |  | $ 25.00 |  |  | $ 25.00 |
Boston Properties Limited Partnership |  |  |  |  |  |
Class of Stock [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
General Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding (in units) |  | 1,719,540 | 1,717,743 |  |  |
Limited Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding |  | 152,605,746 | 152,072,432 |  |  |
Shares of its Common Stock issued in connection with the redemption of an equal number of OP Units |  | 495,637 | 190,857 | 424,236 |  |
Boston Properties Limited Partnership | Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock / Unit [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Class of Stock [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Preferred stock, shares outstanding |  | 80,000 | 80,000 |  |  |
Series B Liquidation Preference Per Share | $ / shares |  | $ 2,500 | $ 2,500 |  |  |

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