Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Real estate, at cost (amounts related to variable interest entities (“VIEs”) of $6,702,830 and $6,592,019 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	$ 23,752,630	$ 22,969,110
Right of use assets - finance leases (amounts related to VIEs of $21,000 and $21,000 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	237,507	237,393
Less: accumulated depreciation (amounts related to VIEs of $(1,283,060) and $(1,158,548) at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	(5,883,961)	(5,534,102)
Cash and cash equivalents (amounts related to VIEs of $300,937 and $340,642 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	452,692	1,668,742
Tenant and other receivables, net (amounts related to VIEs of $6,824 and $10,911 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	70,186	77,411
Accrued rental income, net (amounts related to VIEs of $357,395 and $336,594 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	1,226,745	1,122,502
Deferred charges, net (amounts related to VIEs of $174,637 and $183,306 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	618,798	640,085
Prepaid expenses and other assets (amounts related to VIEs of $29,668 and $13,137 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	57,811	33,840
Secured Debt	3,267,914	2,909,081
Lease liabilities - finance leases (amounts related to VIEs of $20,458 and $20,306 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	244,421	236,492
Accounts payable and accrued expenses (amounts related to VIEs of $29,464 and $23,128 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	320,775	336,264
Other liabilities (amounts related to VIEs of $150,131 and $158,805 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	$ 391,441	$ 412,084
Reedemable deferred stock units, units	83,073	72,966
Limited Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding (in units)	154,798,935
General Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding (in units)	1,745,914
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	156,623,749	155,797,725
Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding	156,544,849	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 $6,702,830 and $6,592,019 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	$ 23,379,243	$ 22,592,301
Right of use assets - finance leases (amounts related to VIEs of $21,000 and $21,000 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	237,507	237,393
Less: accumulated depreciation (amounts related to VIEs of $(1,283,060) and $(1,158,548) at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	(5,772,018)	(5,428,576)
Cash and cash equivalents (amounts related to VIEs of $300,937 and $340,642 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	452,692	1,668,742
Tenant and other receivables, net (amounts related to VIEs of $6,824 and $10,911 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	70,186	77,411
Accrued rental income, net (amounts related to VIEs of $357,395 and $336,594 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	1,226,745	1,122,502
Deferred charges, net (amounts related to VIEs of $174,637 and $183,306 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	618,798	640,085
Prepaid expenses and other assets (amounts related to VIEs of $29,668 and $13,137 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	57,811	33,840
Secured Debt	3,267,914	2,909,081
Lease liabilities - finance leases (amounts related to VIEs of $20,458 and $20,306 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	244,421	236,492
Accounts payable and accrued expenses (amounts related to VIEs of $29,464 and $23,128 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	320,775	336,264
Other liabilities (amounts related to VIEs of $150,131 and $158,805 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	$ 391,441	$ 412,084
Reedemable deferred stock units, units	83,073	72,966
Limited Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding (in units)	154,798,935	153,987,904
General Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding (in units)	1,745,914	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 $6,702,830 and $6,592,019 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	$ 6,702,830	$ 6,592,019
Right of use assets - finance leases (amounts related to VIEs of $21,000 and $21,000 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	21,000	21,000
Less: accumulated depreciation (amounts related to VIEs of $(1,283,060) and $(1,158,548) at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	(1,283,060)	(1,158,548)
Cash and cash equivalents (amounts related to VIEs of $300,937 and $340,642 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	300,937	340,642
Tenant and other receivables, net (amounts related to VIEs of $6,824 and $10,911 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	6,824	10,911
Accrued rental income, net (amounts related to VIEs of $357,395 and $336,594 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	357,395	336,594
Deferred charges, net (amounts related to VIEs of $174,637 and $183,306 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	174,637	183,306
Prepaid expenses and other assets (amounts related to VIEs of $29,668 and $13,137 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	29,668	13,137
Secured Debt	3,267,914	2,907,590
Lease liabilities - finance leases (amounts related to VIEs of $20,458 and $20,306 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	20,458	20,306
Accounts payable and accrued expenses (amounts related to VIEs of $29,464 and $23,128 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	29,464	23,128
Other liabilities (amounts related to VIEs of $150,131 and $158,805 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	150,131	158,805
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Boston Properties Limited Partnership
Real estate, at cost (amounts related to variable interest entities (“VIEs”) of $6,702,830 and $6,592,019 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	6,702,830	6,592,019
Right of use assets - finance leases (amounts related to VIEs of $21,000 and $21,000 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	21,000	21,000
Less: accumulated depreciation (amounts related to VIEs of $(1,283,060) and $(1,158,548) at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	(1,283,060)	(1,158,548)
Cash and cash equivalents (amounts related to VIEs of $300,937 and $340,642 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	300,937	340,642
Tenant and other receivables, net (amounts related to VIEs of $6,824 and $10,911 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	6,824	10,911
Accrued rental income, net (amounts related to VIEs of $357,395 and $336,594 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	357,395	336,594
Deferred charges, net (amounts related to VIEs of $174,637 and $183,306 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	174,637	183,306
Prepaid expenses and other assets (amounts related to VIEs of $29,668 and $13,137 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	29,668	13,137
Secured Debt	3,267,914	2,907,590
Lease liabilities - finance leases (amounts related to VIEs of $20,458 and $20,306 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	20,458	20,306
Accounts payable and accrued expenses (amounts related to VIEs of $29,464 and $23,128 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	29,464	23,128
Other liabilities (amounts related to VIEs of $150,131 and $158,805 at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)	$ 150,131	$ 158,805