Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Real estate, at cost (amounts related to variable interest entities (“VIEs”) of $6,615,237 and $6,592,019 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	$ 23,156,924	$ 22,969,110
Right of use assets - finance leases (amounts related to VIEs of $21,000 and $21,000 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	237,017	237,393
Less: accumulated depreciation (amounts related to VIEs of $(1,188,554) and $(1,158,548) at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	(5,665,061)	(5,534,102)
Cash and cash equivalents (amounts related to VIEs of $289,737 and $340,642 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	697,369	1,668,742
Tenant and other receivables, net (amounts related to VIEs of $5,846 and $10,911 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	51,271	77,411
Accrued rental income, net (amounts related to VIEs of $341,772 and $336,594 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	1,145,066	1,122,502
Deferred charges, net (amounts related to VIEs of $177,647 and $183,306 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	622,649	640,085
Prepaid expenses and other assets (amounts related to VIEs of $45,075 and $13,137 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	129,102	33,840
Mortgage notes payable, net (amounts related to VIEs of $2,904,672 and $2,907,590 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	2,904,672	2,909,081
Lease liabilities - finance leases (amounts related to VIEs of $20,345 and $20,306 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	239,361	236,492
Accounts payable and accrued expenses (amounts related to VIEs of $15,957 and $23,128 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	260,875	336,264
Other liabilities (amounts related to VIEs of $141,547 and $158,805 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	$ 399,965	$ 412,084
Reddemable deferred stock units, units	75,834	72,966
Limited Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding (in units)	154,337,669
General Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding (in units)	1,736,531
Excess stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Excess stock, shares authorized	150,000,000	150,000,000
Excess stock, shares outstanding	0	0
Excess stock, shares issued	0	0
Preferred stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Preferred stock, shares authorized	50,000,000	50,000,000
Common Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common stock, shares authorized	250,000,000	250,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	156,153,100	155,797,725
Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding	156,074,200	155,718,825
Treasury common stock at cost, shares	78,900	78,900
Boston Properties Limited Partnership
Real estate, at cost (amounts related to variable interest entities (“VIEs”) of $6,615,237 and $6,592,019 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	$ 22,781,429	$ 22,592,301
Right of use assets - finance leases (amounts related to VIEs of $21,000 and $21,000 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	237,017	237,393
Less: accumulated depreciation (amounts related to VIEs of $(1,188,554) and $(1,158,548) at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	(5,557,784)	(5,428,576)
Cash and cash equivalents (amounts related to VIEs of $289,737 and $340,642 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	697,369	1,668,742
Tenant and other receivables, net (amounts related to VIEs of $5,846 and $10,911 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	51,271	77,411
Accrued rental income, net (amounts related to VIEs of $341,772 and $336,594 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	1,145,066	1,122,502
Deferred charges, net (amounts related to VIEs of $177,647 and $183,306 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	622,649	640,085
Prepaid expenses and other assets (amounts related to VIEs of $45,075 and $13,137 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	129,102	33,840
Mortgage notes payable, net (amounts related to VIEs of $2,904,672 and $2,907,590 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	2,904,672	2,909,081
Lease liabilities - finance leases (amounts related to VIEs of $20,345 and $20,306 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	239,361	236,492
Accounts payable and accrued expenses (amounts related to VIEs of $15,957 and $23,128 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	260,875	336,264
Other liabilities (amounts related to VIEs of $141,547 and $158,805 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	$ 399,965	$ 412,084
Reddemable deferred stock units, units	75,834	72,966
NonControlling Interest Redeemable Partnership Units Common Units Shares Outstanding	16,053,640	16,037,121
NonControlling Interest Redeemable Partnership Units Common Units Long Term Incentive Units At Redemption Value Shares Outstanding	1,525,306	1,336,115
Limited Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding (in units)	154,337,669	153,987,904
General Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding (in units)	1,736,531	1,730,921
Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock / Unit [Member]
Preferred stock, par value		$ 0.01
Preferred stock, shares authorized		92,000
Preferred stock / units, shares / units issued (in shares / units)		80,000
Preferred stock / units, shares / units outstanding (in shares / units)		80,000
Series B Dividend Rate Percentage		5.25%
Series B Liquidation Preference Per Share/ Unit		$ 2,500
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Real estate, at cost (amounts related to variable interest entities (“VIEs”) of $6,615,237 and $6,592,019 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	$ 6,615,237	$ 6,592,019
Right of use assets - finance leases (amounts related to VIEs of $21,000 and $21,000 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	21,000	21,000
Less: accumulated depreciation (amounts related to VIEs of $(1,188,554) and $(1,158,548) at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	(1,188,554)	(1,158,548)
Cash and cash equivalents (amounts related to VIEs of $289,737 and $340,642 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	289,737	340,642
Tenant and other receivables, net (amounts related to VIEs of $5,846 and $10,911 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	5,846	10,911
Accrued rental income, net (amounts related to VIEs of $341,772 and $336,594 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	341,772	336,594
Deferred charges, net (amounts related to VIEs of $177,647 and $183,306 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	177,647	183,306
Prepaid expenses and other assets (amounts related to VIEs of $45,075 and $13,137 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	45,075	13,137
Mortgage notes payable, net (amounts related to VIEs of $2,904,672 and $2,907,590 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	2,904,672	2,907,590
Lease liabilities - finance leases (amounts related to VIEs of $20,345 and $20,306 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	20,345	20,306
Accounts payable and accrued expenses (amounts related to VIEs of $15,957 and $23,128 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	15,957	23,128
Other liabilities (amounts related to VIEs of $141,547 and $158,805 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	141,547	158,805
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Boston Properties Limited Partnership
Real estate, at cost (amounts related to variable interest entities (“VIEs”) of $6,615,237 and $6,592,019 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	6,615,237	6,592,019
Right of use assets - finance leases (amounts related to VIEs of $21,000 and $21,000 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	21,000	21,000
Less: accumulated depreciation (amounts related to VIEs of $(1,188,554) and $(1,158,548) at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	(1,188,554)	(1,158,548)
Cash and cash equivalents (amounts related to VIEs of $289,737 and $340,642 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	289,737	340,642
Tenant and other receivables, net (amounts related to VIEs of $5,846 and $10,911 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	5,846	10,911
Accrued rental income, net (amounts related to VIEs of $341,772 and $336,594 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	341,772	336,594
Deferred charges, net (amounts related to VIEs of $177,647 and $183,306 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	177,647	183,306
Prepaid expenses and other assets (amounts related to VIEs of $45,075 and $13,137 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	45,075	13,137
Mortgage notes payable, net (amounts related to VIEs of $2,904,672 and $2,907,590 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	2,904,672	2,907,590
Lease liabilities - finance leases (amounts related to VIEs of $20,345 and $20,306 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	20,345	20,306
Accounts payable and accrued expenses (amounts related to VIEs of $15,957 and $23,128 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	15,957	23,128
Other liabilities (amounts related to VIEs of $141,547 and $158,805 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	$ 141,547	$ 158,805
Boston Properties Limited Partnership | Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock / Unit [Member]
Preferred stock / units, shares / units issued (in shares / units)		80,000
Preferred stock / units, shares / units outstanding (in shares / units)		80,000
Series B Dividend Rate Percentage		5.25%
Series B Liquidation Preference Per Share/ Unit		$ 2,500