The monograph is devoted to various aspects of the creative heritage of the largest Russian philosopher of the XIX century Vl.S. Solovyov (1853-1900). The first part deals with the influence of early Christian Gnosticism and New European gnosis on the philosophy of unity and sophiology, Solovyov's "reading circle" is studied, special attention is paid to his early, "Theosophical" period, in which Solovyov creates his own metaphysical system. Solovyov's attitude to Platonism, Hermeticism, German mysticism and other origins of his syncretic system is considered. The second part of the monograph includes articles devoted to both little-studied pages in the work of Solovyov, and his entourage and heirs, in particular V.V. Rozanov, K.N. Leontiev, A.N. Schmidt, S.N. Bulgakov. For the first time, letters from V.V. Rozanov to Vl. Solovyov are published in the corps of bilateral correspondence, as well as other archival materials. The appendix contains the translation of the French treatise by Vl. Solovyov "Sofia" with comments made by the author of the monograph.