Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
General Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding (in units)	1,726,980
Limited Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding (in units)	153,063,318
Excess stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Excess stock, shares authorized	150,000,000	150,000,000
Excess stock, shares issued	0	0
Excess stock, shares outstanding	0	0
Preferred stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Preferred stock, shares authorized	50,000,000	50,000,000
Common stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common stock, shares authorized	250,000,000	250,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	154,869,198	154,537,378
Common stock, shares outstanding	154,790,298	154,458,478
Treasury common stock at cost, shares	78,900	78,900
Real estate, at cost (amounts related to variable interest entities (“VIEs”) of $6,497,031 and $7,481,015 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	$ 22,502,976	$ 21,649,896
Right of use assets - finance leases (amount related to VIEs of $21,000 at December 31, 2019)	237,394
Less: accumulated depreciation (amounts related to VIEs of $(1,058,495) and $(965,500) at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	(5,266,798)	(4,897,777)
Cash and cash equivalents (amounts related to VIEs of $280,033 and $296,806 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	644,950	543,359
Cash held in escrows	46,936	95,832
Tenant and other receivables, net (amounts related to VIEs of $28,918 and $15,519 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	112,807	86,629
Accrued rental income, net (amounts related to VIEs of $298,318 and $272,466 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	1,038,788	934,896
Deferred charges, net (amounts related to VIEs of $214,769 and $263,402 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	689,213	678,724
Prepaid expenses and other assets (amounts related to VIEs of $20,931 and $26,513 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	41,685	80,943
Mortgage notes payable, net (amounts related to VIEs of $2,918,806 and $2,929,326 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	2,922,408	2,964,572
Lease liabilities - finance leases (amount related to VIEs of $20,189 at December 31, 2019)	224,042
Accounts payable and accrued expenses (amounts related to VIEs of $45,777 and $75,786 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	377,553	276,645
Other liabilities (amounts related to VIEs of $140,110 and $200,344 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	$ 387,994	$ 503,726
Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock / Unit [Member]
Preferred stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Preferred stock, shares authorized	92,000	92,000
Series B Dividend Rate Percentage	5.25%	5.25%
Preferred stock / units, shares / units issued (in shares / units)	80,000	80,000
Series B Liquidation Preference Per Share/ Unit	$ 2,500.00	$ 2,500
Preferred stock / units, shares / units outstanding (in shares / units)	80,000	80,000
Boston Properties Limited Partnership
Redeemable Partnership Units Common Units Shares Outstanding (in units)	16,764,466	16,783,558
Redeemable Partnership Units Common Units Long Term Incentive Units At Redemption Value Units Outstanding (in units)	1,143,215	991,577
General Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding (in units)	1,726,980	1,722,336
Limited Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding (in units)	153,063,318	152,736,142
Real estate, at cost (amounts related to variable interest entities (“VIEs”) of $6,497,031 and $7,481,015 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	$ 22,107,755	$ 21,251,540
Right of use assets - finance leases (amount related to VIEs of $21,000 at December 31, 2019)	237,394
Less: accumulated depreciation (amounts related to VIEs of $(1,058,495) and $(965,500) at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	(5,162,908)	(4,800,475)
Cash and cash equivalents (amounts related to VIEs of $280,033 and $296,806 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	644,950	543,359
Cash held in escrows	46,936	95,832
Tenant and other receivables, net (amounts related to VIEs of $28,918 and $15,519 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	112,807	86,629
Accrued rental income, net (amounts related to VIEs of $298,318 and $272,466 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	1,038,788	934,896
Deferred charges, net (amounts related to VIEs of $214,769 and $263,402 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	689,213	678,724
Prepaid expenses and other assets (amounts related to VIEs of $20,931 and $26,513 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	41,685	80,943
Mortgage notes payable, net (amounts related to VIEs of $2,918,806 and $2,929,326 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	2,922,408	2,964,572
Lease liabilities - finance leases (amount related to VIEs of $20,189 at December 31, 2019)	224,042
Accounts payable and accrued expenses (amounts related to VIEs of $45,777 and $75,786 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	377,553	276,645
Other liabilities (amounts related to VIEs of $140,110 and $200,344 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	$ 387,994	$ 503,726
Boston Properties Limited Partnership | Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock / Unit [Member]
Series B Dividend Rate Percentage	5.25%	5.25%
Preferred stock / units, shares / units issued (in shares / units)	80,000	80,000
Series B Liquidation Preference Per Share/ Unit	$ 2,500	$ 2,500
Preferred stock / units, shares / units outstanding (in shares / units)	80,000	80,000
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Real estate, at cost (amounts related to variable interest entities (“VIEs”) of $6,497,031 and $7,481,015 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	$ 6,497,031	$ 7,481,015
Right of use assets - finance leases (amount related to VIEs of $21,000 at December 31, 2019)	21,000
Less: accumulated depreciation (amounts related to VIEs of $(1,058,495) and $(965,500) at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	(1,058,495)	(965,500)
Cash and cash equivalents (amounts related to VIEs of $280,033 and $296,806 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	280,033	296,806
Tenant and other receivables, net (amounts related to VIEs of $28,918 and $15,519 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	28,918	15,519
Accrued rental income, net (amounts related to VIEs of $298,318 and $272,466 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	298,318	272,466
Deferred charges, net (amounts related to VIEs of $214,769 and $263,402 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	214,769	263,402
Prepaid expenses and other assets (amounts related to VIEs of $20,931 and $26,513 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	20,931	26,513
Mortgage notes payable, net (amounts related to VIEs of $2,918,806 and $2,929,326 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	2,918,806	2,929,326
Lease liabilities - finance leases (amount related to VIEs of $20,189 at December 31, 2019)	20,189
Accounts payable and accrued expenses (amounts related to VIEs of $45,777 and $75,786 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	45,777	75,786
Other liabilities (amounts related to VIEs of $140,110 and $200,344 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	140,110	200,344
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Boston Properties Limited Partnership
Real estate, at cost (amounts related to variable interest entities (“VIEs”) of $6,497,031 and $7,481,015 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	6,497,031	7,481,015
Right of use assets - finance leases (amount related to VIEs of $21,000 at December 31, 2019)	21,000
Less: accumulated depreciation (amounts related to VIEs of $(1,058,495) and $(965,500) at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	(1,058,495)	(965,500)
Cash and cash equivalents (amounts related to VIEs of $280,033 and $296,806 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	280,033	296,806
Tenant and other receivables, net (amounts related to VIEs of $28,918 and $15,519 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	28,918	15,519
Accrued rental income, net (amounts related to VIEs of $298,318 and $272,466 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	298,318	272,466
Deferred charges, net (amounts related to VIEs of $214,769 and $263,402 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	214,769	263,402
Prepaid expenses and other assets (amounts related to VIEs of $20,931 and $26,513 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	20,931	26,513
Mortgage notes payable, net (amounts related to VIEs of $2,918,806 and $2,929,326 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	2,918,806	2,929,326
Lease liabilities - finance leases (amount related to VIEs of $20,189 at December 31, 2019)	20,189
Accounts payable and accrued expenses (amounts related to VIEs of $45,777 and $75,786 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	45,777	75,786
Other liabilities (amounts related to VIEs of $140,110 and $200,344 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively)	$ 140,110	$ 200,344