 Gyldendal attended Aarhus Katedralskole, graduated from the University of Copenhagen in 1766 and took the examen philosophicum the following year.He acquired a bookstore and in 1770 he begun his independent publishing house.Every year on the anniversary of his birthday, the Søren Gyldendal Foundation ("Søren Gyldendal Fonden") awards a prize in his name, the Søren Gyldendal Prize ("Søren Gyldendal Prisen").