Sølling was born in 1758 in Kristianssand in Norway to Danish parents and enrolled at the Naval Academy in Copenhagen at age 12.
He later worked for several of the large trading companies and served as captain on voyages to China.
In 1825, Sølling acquired a property on the corner ofDybensgade and Skvaldergade (now Nikolajgade 20/Dybensgade 20), close to St Nicolas' Church, which provided housing for 50 residents.
The façade features an embedded bomb above the gate and a bas-relief of the founder created by the sculptor Otto Evens.
[2] The building in Dronningensgade was designed by the architect Peter Norden Sølling, a great-great-grandson of the founder.