Renovation of Saint Martin's Church has revealed artifacts from the Roman era, testifying to early settlement of the site. Avče was partially destroyed during the First World War during the Italian advance to the western part of the
Banjšice Plateau. There is an Austrian memorial plaque in Podlajša dedicated to the Austro-Hungarian units that served there, and in the Avče cemetery there is a dilapidated Italian war memorial. During the Second World War, an Italian (and later German) military post was located in Avče to protect the railroad from
Jesenice to
Gorizia. The post was attached by the
Partisans on 26 October 1943 and the entire contingent stationed there was captured. There were further attacks in January and June 1944, and the bridges across Avšček and Avščica creeks were destroyed. The
Partisans had a base on the Osojnica Ridge south of the settlement, from which they carried out attacks on German positions. On 28 March 1944 the Germans captured Jožef Škodnik, a leader in the communist-led resistance, and hanged him in the middle of the village. A memorial plaque on the Škodnik house commemorates the event. ==Church==