Consolidated Statement of Capital and Noncontrolling Interests - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding	156,544,849	155,718,825
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, value	$ 71,383	$ 48,621	$ 45,000
Preferred Stock Redemption Charge	(6,412)	0	0
Effective portion of interest rate contracts	8,544	(7,848)	(6,751)
Amortization of interest rate contracts	6,704	6,697	6,664
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest in property partnership			(186,963)
Sale of an interest in property partnerships			0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	18,002	8,219	35,816
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	(259,764)	(58,811)	69,913
Issuance of operating partnership units for 360 Park Avenue South	$ 99,689	$ 0	$ 0
Accounting Standards Update 2016-02
Accounting Standards Update [Extensible List]			Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]
Accounting Standards Update 2018-09
Accounting Standards Update [Extensible List]		Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]	Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]
General Partner [Member]
Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding	1,746,000	1,731,000	1,727,000	1,722,000
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, shares	5,000	1,000	3,000
Conversion of redeemable partnership units	10,000	3,000	2,000
Limited Partner [Member]
Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding	154,799,000	153,988,000	153,063,000	152,736,000
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, shares	295,000	72,000	185,000
Conversion of redeemable partnership units	516,000	853,000	142,000
Partners' Capital (General and Limited Partners)[Member]
Beginning Balance	$ 4,173,290	$ 4,554,639	$ 3,380,175	$ 4,054,996
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, value	26,614	10,062	9,460
Allocated net income for the period	512,474	882,275	520,757
Distributions	(612,461)	(609,852)	(592,159)
Preferred Stock Redemption Charge	(6,412)
Conversion of redeemable partnership units, value	18,386	29,689	4,885
Adjustment to reflect redeemable partnership units at redemption value	(319,950)	863,795	(447,222)
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest in property partnership			(162,462)
Sale of an interest in property partnerships			(4,216)
Partners' Capital (General and Limited Partners)[Member] | Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment
Beginning Balance			(1,505)	(3,864)
Preferred Units [Member]
Beginning Balance	0	193,623	193,623	193,623
Allocated net income for the period	2,560	10,500	10,500
Distributions	(2,560)	(10,500)	(10,500)
Preferred Units [Member] | Boston Properties Limited Partnership
Preferred Stock, Redemption Amount	(193,623)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss [Member]
Beginning Balance	(36,662)	(49,890)	(48,335)	(47,741)
Effective portion of interest rate contracts	7,703	(7,066)	(6,060)
Amortization of interest rate contracts	5,525	5,511	5,466
Noncontrolling interest - property partnerships [Member]
Beginning Balance	1,556,553	1,726,933	1,728,689	1,711,445
Allocated net income for the period	70,806	48,260	71,120
Amortization of interest rate contracts	576	576	576
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest in property partnership			(24,501)
Sale of an interest in property partnerships			4,216
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	18,002	8,219	35,816
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	(259,764)	(58,811)	(69,913)
Noncontrolling interest - property partnerships [Member] | Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment
Beginning Balance				(70)
Total Capital [Member]
Beginning Balance	5,693,181	6,425,305	5,254,152	5,912,323
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, value	26,614	10,062	9,460
Allocated net income for the period	585,840	941,035	602,377
Distributions	(615,021)	(620,352)	(602,659)
Preferred Stock, Redemption Amount	(193,623)
Preferred Stock Redemption Charge	(6,412)
Conversion of redeemable partnership units, value	18,386	29,689	4,885
Adjustment to reflect redeemable partnership units at redemption value	(319,950)	863,795	(447,222)
Effective portion of interest rate contracts	7,703	(7,066)	(6,060)
Amortization of interest rate contracts	6,101	6,087	6,042
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest in property partnership			(186,963)
Sale of an interest in property partnerships			0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	18,002	8,219	35,816
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	(259,764)	(58,811)	(69,913)
Total Capital [Member] | Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment
Beginning Balance			(1,505)	(3,934)
Noncontrolling interest - Redeemable partnership units [Member]
Beginning Balance	2,078,603	1,643,024	2,468,753	2,000,591
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, value	45,773	39,318	36,228
Allocated net income for the period	55,931	97,704	59,345
Distributions	(68,822)	(68,921)	69,234
Conversion of redeemable partnership units, value	(18,386)	(29,689)	(4,885)
Adjustment to reflect redeemable partnership units at redemption value	319,950	(863,795)	447,222
Effective portion of interest rate contracts	841	(782)	(691)
Amortization of interest rate contracts	603	$ 610	622
Issuance of operating partnership units for 360 Park Avenue South	$ 99,689
Noncontrolling interest - Redeemable partnership units [Member] | Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment
Beginning Balance			$ (174)	$ (445)