Consolidated Statement of Partners' Capital Statement - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	General Partner [Member]	Limited Partner [Member]	Partners' Capital (General and Limited Partners) [Member]	Preferred Units [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss [Member]	Noncontrolling interest - property partnerships [Member]	Noncontrolling interest - property partnerships [Member] Boston Properties Limited Partnership	Total Capital [Member]	Noncontrolling interest - Redeemable partnership units [Member]
Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding		1,720,000	152,606,000
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2017				$ 3,664,436	$ 193,623	$ (50,429)	$ 1,683,760		$ 5,491,390	$ 2,292,263
Cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle	$ 5,496			4,933					4,933	563
Contributions		1,000	11,000
Contributions				1,452					1,452	34,258
Allocated net income for the year				180,475	2,625		17,234		200,334	20,432
Distributions				(123,490)	(2,625)				(126,115)	(14,351)
Unearned compensation				(1,208)					(1,208)	(20,453)
Converstion of redeemable partnership units		1,000	23,000
Conversion of redeemable partnership units				832					832	(832)
Adjustment to reflect redeemable partnership units at redemption value				115,432					115,432	(115,432)
Amortization of interest rate contracts	1,666					1,367	144		1,511	155
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	15,267						15,267		15,267
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	$ (30,690)						(30,690)		(30,690)
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2018				3,842,862	193,623	(49,062)	1,685,715		5,673,138	2,196,603
Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding		1,722,000	152,640,000
Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding	154,458,478	1,722,000	152,736,000
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2018				4,054,996	193,623	(47,741)	1,711,445		5,912,323	2,000,591
Cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle	$ (4,379)			(3,864)			(70)	$ 70	(3,934)	(445)
Contributions		2,000	41,000
Contributions				4,820					4,820	34,400
Allocated net income for the year				101,783	2,625		18,830		123,238	11,599
Distributions				(146,790)	(2,625)				(149,415)	(17,185)
Unearned compensation				(1,388)					(1,388)	(20,990)
Converstion of redeemable partnership units		1,000	13,000
Conversion of redeemable partnership units				492					492	(492)
Adjustment to reflect redeemable partnership units at redemption value				(406,875)					(406,875)	406,875
Effective portion of interest rate contracts	(2,628)					(2,359)			(2,359)	(269)
Amortization of interest rate contracts	1,666					1,366	144		1,510	156
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	4,387						4,387		4,387
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	$ (24,128)						(24,128)		(24,128)
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2019				$ 3,603,174	$ 193,623	$ (48,734)	$ 1,710,608		$ 5,458,671	$ 2,414,240
Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding	154,515,486	1,725,000	152,790,000