This town has a rich and proud history in the annals of its military exploits against the Portuguese invaders as it was the capital of Sitawaka Kingdom from 1521 to 1593.

There is a lore that Rajasinghe was a parricide but some historians discount this as a story spread by jealousy.

Avissawella is the junction from where the oldest land route to the Hill Country via Hatton and the road down South via Ratnapura diverge.

The Kelani Valley Railway line was originally built from Colombo to Yatiyanthota via Avissawella during 1900–1902.

Originally it was built as a 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow-gauge[1] line to serve the rubber plantations in the area.