| Event: | Women's 1500 metres |
| Competition: | European Athletics Championships |
The women's 1500 metres at the 1971 European Athletics Championships was held in Helsinki, Finland, at Helsinki Olympic Stadium on 13 and 15 August 1971.
| Gold | Karin Burneleit | |
| Silver | Gunhild Hoffmeister | |
| Bronze | Ellen Tittel |
15 August
| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=left | align=left | 4:09.62 | WR | ||||
| align=left | align=left | 4:10.31 | |||||
| align=left | align=left | 4:10.35 | NR | ||||
| 4 | align=left | align=left |  | 4:12.65 | NR | ||
| 5 | align=left | align=left | 4:13.71 | ||||
| 6 | align=left | align=left | 4:13.93 | ||||
| 7 | align=left | align=left | 4:14.79 | ||||
| 8 | align=left | align=left | | 4:14.81 | |||
| 9 | align=left | align=left |  | 4:16.06 | NR | ||
| 10 | align=left | align=left | 4:17.27 | ||||
| 11 | align=left | align=left | | 4:17.54 | |||
| 12 | align=left | align=left |  | 4:21.45 |
13 August
| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | align=left | align=left | 4:14.2 | Q | |||
| 2 | align=left | align=left | 4:15.0 | Q | |||
| 3 | align=left | align=left | 4:15.3 | Q | |||
| 4 | align=left | align=left | | 4:16.2 | Q | ||
| 5 | align=left | align=left | | 4:18.0 | NR | ||
| 6 | align=left | align=left |  | 4:22.0 | NR | ||
| 7 | align=left | align=left |  | 4:24.0 | NR | ||
| 8 | align=left | align=left | 4:24.2 | ||||
| 9 | align=left | align=left | 4:24.5 | ||||
| 10 | align=left | align=left |  | 4:30.3 |
| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | align=left | align=left | 4:14.9 | Q | |||
| 2 | align=left | align=left | 4:16.8 | NR Q | |||
| 3 | align=left | align=left | | 4:17.4 | Q | ||
| 4 | align=left | align=left | | 4:18.2 | Q | ||
| 5 | align=left | align=left | | 4:21.2 | |||
| 6 | align=left | align=left | 4:22.4 | ||||
| 7 | align=left | align=left | 4:23.0 | ||||
| 8 | align=left | align=left |  | 4:23.1 | NR | ||
| 9 | align=left | align=left | 4:25.8 |
| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | align=left | align=left | 4:17.2 | Q | |||
| 2 | align=left | align=left | | 4:17.2 | Q | ||
| 3 | align=left | align=left | 4:17.4 | Q | |||
| 4 | align=left | align=left | | 4:17.6 | NR Q | ||
| 5 | align=left | align=left | 4:18.2 | ||||
| 6 | align=left | align=left | 4:19.1 | ||||
| 7 | align=left | align=left | 4:19.3 | ||||
| 8 | align=left | align=left |  | 4:23.0 | |||
| 9 | align=left | align=left |  | 4:24.2 | |||
| 10 | align=left | align=left | | 4:31.4 | |||
| 11 | align=left | align=left | | 4:34.0 |
According to an unofficial count, 30 athletes from 16 countries participated in the event.
(1) (1) (3) (2) (1) (1) (1) (2) (3)